Yerba Mate: The Beverage Uniting World Cup Fans

Fans at World Cup matches have embraced yerba mate, alongside their flags and jerseys. This caffeinated drink, popular in South American countries, has gained worldwide appeal. It is particularly favored by star athletes in and out of soccer competitions, including the United States.

When Argentina’s World Cup-winning team arrived at their hotel in Kansas City, Missouri, supporters gathered to share yerba mate. The beverage is traditionally served in gourd cups with metal bombillas, which filter the steeped leaves.

At Cafe Corazon in Kansas City, a significant importer of yerba mate in the Midwest, fans lined up on Monday, just before Argentina’s match. Co-owner Dulcinea Herrera noted the drink’s soaring popularity. Non-Argentinians are eager to try it, while Argentinians find it reminiscent of home.

Fans enjoy mate in various forms. Uruguay’s Luis Suarez and Argentina’s Lionel Messi are avid drinkers. Messi’s photo with a mate cup and World Cup trophy has highlighted its popularity among sports stars.

The origins trace back to Indigenous people and South American cowboys, known as gauchos. Globally, nations add their own spin and flavor. Cultural anthropologist Christine Folch notes that preferred vessel types can signal regional origins.

Folch has collected diverse mate cups, from cow hooves and horns to leather-wrapped metal cups. Mate expanded to Syria and Lebanon in the early 1900s, leading to its availability in Middle Eastern stores in the U.S.

In the U.S., yerba mate is often sold canned as a natural energy drink, with fruit flavors. There are sweetened, carbonated Cuban versions, and Berlin’s Club Mate, a popular drink mixed with alcohol.

Traditional mate preparation involves smoked leaves, giving it a smoky and earthy flavor, with less jittery effects compared to coffee. Pronunciation is MAH-teh.

Yerba mate is suited for social gatherings, like sports events. Sharing a mate cup fosters relationships, says Folch. Sebastian Cufre, with his father Rene, drove from Albuquerque to Kansas City seeking match tickets. They bonded with other Argentina fans at Cafe Corazon by sharing mate.

Rene Cufre dislikes canned mate versions, preferring traditional mate. Fans encourage North Americans to try yerba mate when offered a cup, emphasizing its social aspect. Fernando Villagran, from Argentina, states it fosters friendship.