ABOUT ME
I had to stop playing. I’m here so you don’t have to.
Recovery gear and honest advice for Sunday league and 5-a-side players, from someone who has been on the wrong end of a bad tackle.
MY STORY
Football was my Sunday. Until it wasn’t.
I played for five years in a weekly 5-a-side with mates. Nothing serious. No scouts, no contracts, just a game on a freezing pitch and a drink afterwards. It was the one fixed moment in my week where work did not matter.
Then, in 2018, I hurt my knee in a tackle. At first I did what every amateur does: I ignored it, strapped it up and kept playing. It kept getting worse, and eventually I had to stop for good.
Looking back, a lot of it was avoidable. Better warm-ups, better recovery, and knowing which warning signs to take seriously. Nobody told me, because nobody was really talking to players like me.
WHY THIS SITE
Why Sunday League Survival Kit exists
Most football content online is made for professionals with physios on call, or for kids in academy setups. But if you are 25 to 45, playing once a week, working a desk job Monday to Friday and feeling it every Monday morning, you are in a completely different situation.
You do not need an elite training programme. You need to know what actually helps you recover, what is worth spending money on, and when that ache in your knee is something to take seriously. That is what this site is for.
WHAT YOU WILL FIND
What you’ll find here
Honest gear picks
Foam rollers, compression sleeves, muscle rubs and shin guards, chosen for casual players and their budgets, not for pros.
Recovery that fits real life
Simple routines you can do on a Sunday evening or Monday morning, without a gym membership or an ice bath in your garden.
Know the warning signs
What I wish I had known before my injury: which pain is normal soreness and which means it is time to rest or see someone.
MY MOST RECOMMENDED GEAR
The 4 things most players actually need
Knee and ankle problems cause almost half of all football injuries in the Netherlands (VeiligheidNL: knee 26%, ankle 21%). That is why these four products come back in almost every guide on this site. All of them are cheap, easy to use and available on Bol.com.
01 · €15–30
Knee support sleeve
For a knee that feels unstable or stiff after a match. Support and warmth without limiting how you move.
02 · €8–20
Ankle tape or brace
For players who rolled an ankle before. Tape or a light brace lowers the chance it happens again.
03 · ± €10
Reusable cold pack
The first thing to grab after a knock. Keep it in the freezer, use it for 15 minutes in the first 48 hours.
04 · €15–25
Foam roller
Ten minutes after a match or on Monday morning loosens tight calves and thighs.
TRUST
How I choose what I recommend
I only recommend products I would genuinely use myself or suggest to a mate from my old team.
- Price: it has to make sense for someone who plays once a week.
- Real reviews: I read what other amateur players say, not just the brand.
- A real problem: it must actually help with soreness, injury or recovery.
Full transparency: some links on this site are affiliate links to Bol.com, Amazon and Decathlon. If you buy through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what I recommend.
I’m not a doctor or physiotherapist. Everything here is based on personal experience and research. If you’re in pain or think you’re injured, please see a GP or physio.