Snacking is important. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a great example of a perfect snack. They can go a long way.

You have to eat right. I eat a lot of vegetables. Keep a very, very healthy diet. It translates to how your body feels. The better your body feels, the better endurance and stamina you're going to have.

As a soccer player, the goal isn't to be very bulky. It is more important to even your body out. Make sure your body is well rounded. You can't really focus on one area. Everything has to be balanced.

Your core is so important. Get your endurance up. Running and long-distance. Swimming is good as well. Important to have a good core, utilize the proper exercises to strengthen it. It goes out to the rest of your body and makes sure your body is right.

I never cheat in training. I owe it to myself and family to give it everything I have, all the time. To be honest, I hate every minute of training. But the rewards of giving your all and having it translate into great things on the pitch are the reasons why it's all worth it.

Stretching, which I do for five to 10 minutes before and after a match, is so important in general when it comes to prolonging your career and staying injury-free.

The best athletes in any sport take stretching very seriously before and after matches. Stretching is instrumental in any athlete's physical success.