How to keep a healthy diet as a vegetarian athelete (soccer)?

How restrictive are you? If lacto-ovo, it’s easier to keep your protein level up, which is important for athletes. Protein is the important factor, the rest of a vegetarian diet is fine for athletes. (It’s more complicated for vegans).

I’m going lacto-ovo this time

I agree with @zenvelo, to the point that I would not try to do competitive sports on a vegan diet. I doubt if my body could take it. However, bodies differ and yours might be particularly well suited.

If you can, you’ll want to eat lots of eggs, as they are easily assimilable little protein-bombs. Brown rice and lentils, plenty of green leafies, the usual.
I’d advise, if you can afford it or can find someone who will do it for lulz, someone who is willing to study up on sports nutrition and help you plan out your meals ‘scientifically’. The information is all readily available. You could do it yourself, but it is a bit complicated.
Hell, it’s an interesting project though- I’d volunteer myself if I didn’t have so much else going on.

Here are some more specific suggestions:

Green salad with walnuts and undressed white tuna
Caprese
Gorp
Fried tofu with onions (available at your local Asian market) served with grated carrots and brown rice

I’m not vegetarian, but I have been on several occasions, and I’ve done a lot of cooking-for-vegetarians. It’s fun!

There is some good info for vegetarian and vegan athletes on the PETA website.

I’m a Vegan martial artist. It’s a myth that you need that much protein (especially animal derived) – you just need a 2:1 ratio, every 2 calories 1 protein if you’re active every day as an athlete. Google “vegan bodybuilding” for a quick look at—visible evidence and a growing community. Lots of personal sites.

Also a big resource is Dr Greger’s videos: http://www.drgreger.org/

@phoebusg Rather than us googling it, I feel that many of us could just take your word for it if you would just… perhaps post some videos of you doing your thing?
And also videos of your diet- how your food is prepared, how you eat, et cetera.
Please?

@koan at some point in time, but mind you there’s a ton of other priorities crowing my top 25 to-do lists. Until then, use uncle google :)

Get a lot of eggs from free range chickens.

@koanhead Tuna and other fish is not considered vegetarian.

What works for me is to just make dinner with meat replacements, i.e. soy-based things like broccoli burgers or (as they are called in my supermarket) Italian cubes which are meant to replace the normal meat intake and still taste fine. As long as it doesn’t pretend to be/taste like meat, it can be pretty good. Plus, as a soccer player I have had no problems at every health check I’ve had when donating blood, which I did have the first time I tried to go vegetarian.