Antony Papadopoulos

It’s officially my favourite time of the year.

The off-season.

Not just because it means a bit of a holiday (although that helps), but because everything resets.

The weather’s better.
The energy is different.
And it’s the one period where you can properly take control of your development.

For me, it’s also a time to reflect.

Looking back on the season, the good moments, the tough ones, and the lessons I’ll take into next year.

It also gives me more time to focus on things off the pitch, building the app and Match Fuel.

In terms of training, I usually give myself around 7 days completely off running once the season ends.

After that, I’m straight back into work.

Nothing crazy at the start, just enough to stay in shape, avoid gaining unnecessary body fat, and keep the body ticking over.

Then around 4–5 weeks before pre-season, that’s when things really ramp up.

Intensity increases.
Sessions become more structured.
Everything becomes more focused.

I’ve got a few holidays booked, which sounds ideal… but in reality, it just means training in the heat instead of the UK.

I’ll take that though.

And if I’m being honest, even though this wasn’t my best season, it’s given me even more motivation.

Next season, the goal is clear:

45+ games.

Let's get to work.

Antony

1 week ago | [YT] | 153

Antony Papadopoulos

Another season ticked off.

31 appearances this season and if I’m being completely honest, it was a mixed one.

There were some really good moments, but also some tough periods and situations I didn’t expect to be in.

But that’s football.

Expect the unexpected.

I came into pre-season fit and strong, probably in one of the best places I’ve been physically. But it quickly became clear that game time was going to be limited, so I went out on loan.

At first, I was frustrated. Very frustrated.

And I let that frustration affect my performances.

That was a mistake.

I had to take a step back and realise the mindset I was in was doing more harm than good.

Once that changed, everything else followed.

I started enjoying my football again.

Goals came.
Assists came.
Performances improved.

The loan ended, and I was back to square one , training, but not playing any games.

Another frustrating situation.

I went back out on loan again, and this time I hit the ground running straight away and really enjoyed it.

Looking back, I probably should have gone out earlier , but that’s another lesson learned.

Overall, I performed well when I played, but I didn’t play as much as I wanted.

And that’s the focus for next season:
Play as much football as possible.

Because the reality is, professional football isn’t as glamorous as people think.

There are highs, but there are also plenty of challenges along the way.

Antony

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 201

Antony Papadopoulos

4 years ago today, I was stressed, nervous, and unsure what was coming next.

I’d just finished my first season in non-league, and my contract was coming to an end.

In simple terms, I was about to have no job for a few months.

It was my first time being out of contract, and I went through every emotion you can think of.

But looking back, that period taught me something important:

Urgency.

You don’t realise what you’re capable of when you have nothing to fall back on.

That summer, I worked harder than ever.

Got myself into the best shape I’d ever been in.
Trained constantly.
And off the pitch, I started building my training app and my social media.

Fast forward to now:

My app has over 18,000 users which i'm so proud of.
I’ve built a strong network.
And I’m still a professional footballer.

All from a period that, at the time, felt like everything was uncertain.

Most people avoid urgency.

But urgency forces you to act.

Comfort doesn’t teach you that.

And the truth i, I’m out of contract again this summer.

But this time?

I'm actually quite excited...

Antony.

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 143

Antony Papadopoulos

Full week in the life as a professional footballer, signing for a new club on loan. Highlights, training, nutrition and more 🙌

Drop a Like, Comment and Subscribe!

4 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 11

Antony Papadopoulos

As soon as we enter April, I always call this period the “business end” of the season.

Because if we’re being honest, this is where things get decided.

Where you’ll be playing next season.
Whether you move up a level.
Drop down.
Or earn a new contract.

This is the time people are watching closely.

In boxing, they always say: finish the last round strong.
Football is no different.

You want to leave the best possible impression.
Goals.
Assists.
Work rate.
Attitude.
Being a good teammate.

Everything matters right now.

It’s not a coincidence that you see some players raise their levels towards the end of the season, especially when contracts are on the line.

But the best players?
They don’t suddenly switch it on towards the end of the season.
They maintain their standards and finish strong regardless.

So my message is simple:

Make sure you finish this season properly.

Because these final weeks can genuinely make a big difference to where you’re playing next season.

1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 138

Antony Papadopoulos

18 June 2023 - In Cyprus (off-season).

Mentally, I wasn’t in a great place after my first full season in non-league.

50+ games. 5 goals.
To most, that’s decent.
To me, it wasn’t good enough.

I struggled to adapt. I wasn’t physically strong enough to compete, and if I’m honest, I got through games off ability alone.

That summer, I made a decision... I was going to fix it.

I committed to improving physically so I could actually show what I’m capable of, week in, week out.

Even when I was away, I was probably working harder than I ever had back home.

Fast forward two months — I came back for pre-season in the best shape of my life.
Fitter. Stronger. Different player.

That season? Another 50+ games.
And it earned me my move to Crawley Town in League One.

The work paid off.

But here’s the truth, nobody is going to do it for you.

I put in countless hours in the gym and on the pitch to get to where I am.

And I’m still not satisfied.

That’s what keeps me pushing.

Antony.

1 month ago | [YT] | 106

Antony Papadopoulos

I’ve been promised a lot in football.

New contracts.
More game time.
Opportunities.
Even small things like boots.

And over the years, I’ve learned something the hard way:

Most promises in football get broken.

Probably 90% of them.

When I was younger, I took everything at face value. I believed what I was told and when things didn’t happen, it affected me.

Looking back now, I wish I understood this earlier.

Because once you’re actually in the professional game, you realise how it really works.

Football is ruthless.

If you’re playing well, everyone’s behind you.
If you’re injured or out of form, that’s when you start to see people’s true colours . staff, players, even people around you.

That’s just the reality of the industry.

So what’s the solution?

Stop relying on what people say.
Start relying on what you do.

Focus on your work.
Your preparation.
Your standards.

Because the only thing you can control in football is yourself.

Your training.
Your mindset.
Your consistency.

Everything else?

Uncertain.

Once I understood that, everything changed.

Less stress.
More clarity.
Better performances.

Take responsibility for your own career.

Don’t build your future on promises.

Build it on your actions.

1 month ago | [YT] | 129

Antony Papadopoulos

I’ve played over 120 games in men’s football in the last 4 years.

Something I’m proud of.

Could it have been more?
Probably.

But it’s still an achievement and more importantly, it’s a base to build from.

Now the goal is simple:
Multiply that by 5 before I retire.

And that doesn’t happen by waiting until you’re older to start looking after your body.

It starts now.

Here’s what I’m doing in my early 20s to give myself the best chance of a long career:

Recovery , every single week (non-negotiable)
1–2 sessions minimum, whether I feel like I need it or not.
Sauna, light recovery work, long walks, compression boots.

Your body still needs recovery even when it feels fine.
That’s where most people get it wrong.

Hydration & Nutrition, consistently
Not just when it’s convenient.
Not just around games.

Training with intent, every day
Gym or pitch, it doesn’t matter.

There’s a difference between doing sessions and actually training properly.
Every session has purpose.

Because the reality is this:

Longevity in football isn’t luck.
It’s built.

And most players only start taking this seriously…
when it’s already too late.

If you want a long career, you don’t wait.
You stay now.

1 month ago | [YT] | 147

Antony Papadopoulos

7 years ago, after being released, I made a promise to myself.

That promise was simple:

I would do everything in my power to make it back into the Football League.

For the next 3 years I was playing in the depths of non-league football, working, training, and chasing that goal every single day.

Eventually, the opportunity came.

I signed for Crawley Town, who were in League One at the time.

It was a crazy feeling knowing that all the hard work, setbacks, and sacrifices had finally paid off.

But the biggest thing it gave me was belief.

Because once you prove to yourself that you can achieve something difficult, you start to realise you can achieve a lot more.

That mindset is something I now apply to everything I do in life.

Right now, I’m building a new business called Match Fuel, a hydration and focus supplement designed specifically for footballers to take before games and training.

Honestly, it started because I needed something like this myself.

And just like I did with football, I’ve made another promise to myself:

To give this everything I have.

Why?

Because when I make a promise to myself, I don’t break it.

Hold yourself accountable.
Set goals.
And respect yourself enough to keep the promises you make to yourself.

If you want to follow the journey and get early access to Match Fuel, you can join the early access list below.

www.subscribepage.io/matchfuelearlyaccess

Speak soon,
Antony

2 months ago | [YT] | 113

Antony Papadopoulos

Football is a very short career.

And unless you’ve played at the very highest level, most players can’t simply retire once they finish playing.

That’s why it’s so important to start thinking about life after football while you’re still in the game. Injuries, a change of manager, contracts not being renewed — things can change very quickly in football.

In this new video, I take you through my life as a professional footballer while also building a business on the side. The reality of training, playing, the daily pressures of football, all while trying to build something that will last long after my playing career finishes.

https://youtu.be/3Th_DDmh6L8?si=bcQCf...

2 months ago | [YT] | 18