Antoine Griezmann, the French striker who can't live without yerba mate

French soccer star Antoine Griezmann has incorporated mate into his daily routine, influenced by his Uruguayan teammates. The forward drinks mate before every training session, taking advantage of its ability to naturally boost energy and improve concentration. This infusion has become his secret to maintaining his performance on the field.

Enjoy the full article with a Taragüi mate in hand.

Drinking mate is a custom shared by Argentinians, Uruguayans, Paraguayans, and even Brazilians; so it's no surprise that we often see soccer players from these countries sipping mate before stepping onto the field or even proudly displaying their mate kits on social media.

But for a foreign player like Frenchman Antoine Griezmann to declare himself a mate fan and confess to drinking it religiously in the mornings and before every training session is certainly striking!

Why does Griezmann drink mate?

The origin of Griezmann's peculiar history with yerba mate stems from his time spent with Uruguayan players throughout his football career. Griezmann has declared himself a fan of Uruguayan culture, its slang, its local football, and, above all, one of its most authentic native customs: the love of mate.

Throughout his life, he has been able to share experiences with Uruguayan and River Plate players such as Carlos Bueno, Diego Ifrán, "Chory" Castro, and manager Martín Lasarte, with Real Sociedad. He also shared experiences with Diego Godín, José María Giménez, and Argentine manager Diego Simeone with Atlético de Madrid.

Griezmann, currently a forward for FC Barcelona (formerly Atlético de Madrid), drinks mate every day and carries his mate set with him at all times, especially when he goes to training and plays football matches. It is said that the player has learned to prepare mate like an expert.

Griezmann has revealed that "matecito" gives him energy and that he drinks it like tea or coffee; that's why he always makes sure he has enough yerba mate.

What other famous athletes drink mate?

 

Griezmann's case is reminiscent of this interview with Alice Beretta, the Italian hockey player who claims she "can't live without mate." However, world-class soccer players like Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez have popularized yerba mate consumption on social media.

The truth is that mate has been proven to be an excellent ally for athletes, providing countless benefits before, during, and after training and boosting their performance on the field—even more so than commercial energy drinks.

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