US World Cup star to watch Lynn Williams swears by carb-loaded pancakes to fuel up for matches

• US Women's National Team star Lynn Williams is embarking on the first World Cup of her career.
• The 30-year-old forward told Insider about what she eats before, during, and after each game.

Countless unknowns follow an athlete into a major international competition: how much they'll play, what their opponents will bring to the table, and how they'll perform are among the many questions they face before the games even begin.

But for Lynn Williams, a US Women's National Team star embarking on the first World Cup of her career, there's at least one certainty about the biggest tournament of her life: what she'll eat.

"For pregame I always have pancakes," Williams told Insider without any hesitation.

"Every game," she added. "No matter where I am."

Fluffy stacks of starchy goodness may not be a common pick as the breakfast of champions, but Williams swears that pancakes serve as her best fuel before playing a full 90 minutes. And there's some science to back up her claims.

Pancakes are carbohydrate-heavy pick, which we know is crucial to incorporate into one's pre-run diet. They also typically include protein, a necessary component to help repair the muscle tissue that breaks down from sprinting.

Adding in some healthy toppings, like fruits, nuts, honey, or peanut butter, is even better, according to Runner's World. But Williams says she sticks with "normal buttermilk pancakes" when she goes out for her pregame meal.

The seemingly untiring forward noted that "you need a lot of carbs" to keep your energy levels elevated over the course of a long workout, such as a soccer game. Even after eating pancakes, Williams said she'll sometimes eat a snack in the locker room during halftime for a quick boost.

The NJ/NY Gotham star partnered with GoGo squeeZ, makers of fruit and vegetable pouches that are typically geared to kids, ahead of the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. But the 30-year-old told Insider she started using the brand's signature pouches to "get a fast bit of energy" long before she partnered with the company.

"GoGo squeeZ can be a halftime snack, too, because it has quick carbs and sugars," Williams added.

Dawn Scott, a longtime performance coach and sports scientist for the Stars and Stripes, estimated that USWNT players typically run five to eight miles per game. Williams, who is known for her explosive speed, likely falls on the far end of that miles-per-game spectrum.

So once the final whistle blows, the Fresno, California, native tries to eat something to replenish all those carbs she expended over the course of play. She said burgers, fries, and ice-cold sodas all hit the spot. Lucky for Williams, her favorite Australian food — a brekkie burger, which is a patty topped with a fried egg, avocado, beetroot, lettuce, "tomato chutney stuff," and sometimes pineapple slices — doubles as the perfect post-game meal.

Williams and her teammates will likely be eating from a pre-set menu meant "to optimize our nutrition going into each game and each training" throughout the World Cup. But she jokes that she may just "sneak away one or two times" to grab some grub; better yet, she'll have her fiancé — Australian basketball player Marley Biyendolo — "deliver it at the door" of her hotel room "and walk away."

"You can't go all the way down there and not get good food, right?" Williams said.

Williams and the reigning champion USWNT will kick off their World Cup title defense Friday at 9 p.m. ET (1 p.m. Saturday local time) with a matchup against Vietnam. Fans stateside can tune in to watch on FOX or Telemundo.