Yerba mate contains caffeine and other ingredients that can boost physical performance, according to sports nutritionists.

The ubiquitous drink is a favorite of footballers including Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Antoine Griezmann, in addition to ...

The ubiquitous drink is a favorite of footballers including Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Antoine Griezmann, in addition to ...

Brennan Asplen/Getty Images Ernesto Ryan/Getty Images Mate (pronounced MAH-tay) is a hot tea drink made from pouring hot water over a gourd of loose tea, called yerba.

“Yerba mate is part of our daily life here in Argentina and across South America,” says Rocio Bermudez-Pose, Senior Manager of Impact at Yerba Madre.

Nicolas Otamendi says competing is in Lionel Messi’s “DNA” and fully expects the Argentina captain to lead the team at next summer’s World Cup.

Furthermore, the yerba mate extract is very rich in polyphenols, with levels even higher than those in green tea and wines (Gugliucci et al., 2009). The extraction efficiency of polyphenols from yerba ...

Lionel Messi's international team-mate insists competing is in the star's DNA and hopes he will play at the 2026 World Cup.