Across South America, there is a familiar image that often appears around football stadiums, training grounds, and team buses.

Lionel Messi sitting with teammates, holding a small cup with a metal straw.

Inside that cup is yerba mate. What is yerba mate, you might ask?

It’s a drink that has been part of South American culture for centuries and has become closely tied to the rhythm of football life.

For millions in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and southern Brazil, yerba mate is not just a drink. It’s a daily ritual, a social tradition, and a symbol of connection.

Now, thanks to companies like Yerba Crew, that tradition is beginning to take hold in the United States.

On a recent episode of the Soccer Stories Podcast, State of Soccer TV host Brian McDonough spoke with Jason Triglia, founder of Philadelphia-based Yerba Crew, about the growing popularity of yerba mate and how his company is helping introduce the drink to new audiences across the country.

The Drink of Footballers

Yerba mate has long been associated with South American football culture.

Many of the game’s biggest stars drink it regularly.

Lionel Messi is perhaps the most recognizable ambassador of mate culture, frequently seen carrying a thermos and gourd while traveling with Argentina or relaxing with teammates. Other players such as Luis Suárez, Neymar, and Antoine Griezmann have also embraced the tradition.

In locker rooms and training camps across South America, sharing mate is a common pre-match ritual.

Players pass the same gourd around in a circle, refilling it with hot water and drinking through a metal straw known as a bombilla.

It’s a simple act, but it reflects something deeper about football culture: community.

As Triglia explained on the podcast, the ritual itself is just as important as the drink.

“Yerba mate is about connection,” he said. “Whether you’re drinking it alone to focus or sharing it with a group, it brings people together.”

What Exactly Is Yerba Mate?

Yerba mate comes from the Ilex paraguariensis plant, a species of holly native to subtropical regions where Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil meet.

The leaves and stems are harvested, dried, and aged before being brewed in hot water.

Traditionally, mate is prepared inside a gourd, filled with dried leaves, and consumed through a bombilla.

Unlike coffee or traditional tea, mate is continuously infused. Drinkers pour small amounts of hot water over the leaves throughout a session, often sipping from the same gourd for hours.

The preparation itself is part of the ritual.

You fill the gourd about two-thirds full, tilt the leaves to form what drinkers call a “mountain,” insert the bombilla, and slowly pour hot water along the edge.

It’s simple once you learn it  though anyone familiar with mate culture will tell you that everyone has their own preferred method.

The Health Benefits of Yerba Mate

Part of yerba mate’s growing popularity around the world comes from its natural energy profile.

The drink contains caffeine, but it also includes compounds like theobromine (the same compound found in dark chocolate) as well as antioxidants and amino acids.

Many people describe mate as providing a smoother, more sustained energy boost compared to coffee.

Rather than the sharp spike and crash associated with caffeine-heavy drinks, mate tends to produce a steady feeling of focus and alertness.

For athletes, that balance can be appealing.

Footballers often drink mate during travel, before training sessions, or as part of their pre-match routines.

But the drink is just as much about mental rhythm as it is about physical energy.

From Argentina to Philadelphia

For Jason Triglia, the journey into yerba mate started unexpectedly.

In 2008, while working in a corporate environment, he was introduced to the drink by colleagues from Argentina. As he began traveling to the country for work, he saw how deeply mate was woven into everyday life.

People drank it in parks, on sidewalks, during meetings, and before football matches.

When he returned home to the United States, he realized that very few Americans had even heard of it.

That realization eventually led to him founding Yerba Crew, a company focused on introducing mate culture to new audiences.

What began as a small passion project during the pandemic quickly grew into something bigger.

Today, Yerba Crew imports traditional gourds from Argentina, sells a range of yerba mate blends, and hosts community events designed to recreate the social experience of drinking mate.

Building Community Through Mate

One of Yerba Crew’s most unique initiatives is the mateada.

A mateada is a gathering centered around drinking yerba mate together, a common tradition throughout South America.

Friends gather in parks or public spaces, prepare mate, and spend time talking and connecting.

There’s no strict schedule and no real agenda.

The ritual itself becomes the event.

Triglia has begun organizing mateadas in Philadelphia, bringing together locals, South American expats, and curious newcomers who want to experience the tradition.

Some people stay for a few minutes. Others stay for hours.

But everyone shares the same cultural experience.

“It’s similar to grabbing a beer with someone,” Triglia explained. “The difference is that mate is something you can pass around. It naturally creates conversation.”

A Growing Tradition in the United States

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching and matches scheduled across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, football culture in North America is entering a new era.

Traditions that have long been part of the global game are becoming more visible to American fans.

Yerba mate may be one of them.

As South American supporters travel to cities like Philadelphia, New York, and Miami during the tournament, they’ll bring their customs with them.

And that includes yerba mate.

Through its partnership with State of Soccer TV, Yerba Crew is helping introduce American fans to the drink that fuels so many footballers around the world.

Because sometimes understanding football culture isn’t just about the tactics or the goals.

Sometimes it starts with a small cup, a metal straw, and a ritual shared among friends.

Listen to the Full Podcast Episode

To hear the full conversation with Yerba Crew founder Jason Triglia, including a live yerba mate tutorial and stories from Argentina, listen to the latest episode of the Soccer Stories Podcast on State of Soccer TV.

Exclusive Offer for the State of Soccer Community

To celebrate this Golden Partnership, State of Soccer TV and Yerba Crew are offering supporters 20% off their first order.

Use code SOSTV20 at checkout when you visit the official landing page (linked) below:

State of Soccer TV x Yerba Crew Landing Page (Click Here)

The World Cup is not just something you watch. It is something you share. Drink to Connect.