England's soccer players take mate during World Cup preparation

England's national soccer team may not face Argentina's team in the upcoming 2018 World Cup in Russia, but they can at least imitate them. A group of English players are taking mate during their free time while preparing to play in the tournament.

The fans of this infusion are the five players from Tottenham Hotspur who play in England: Kieran Trippier, Danny Rose, Eric Dier, Dele Alli, and Harry Kane. Mauricio Pochettino, their Argentine coach, is the influencer of this addiction.

"In Tottenham, many players started to drink mate. Now I'm a bit addicted," admitted Dier, a midfielder for the English team.

"We have many Argentinians in the squad, so I started drinking with them. Now the English players try to pass as South Americans. Danny Rose and I have one in our room and sometimes we drink mate," added the midfielder.

In Tottenham, in addition to the Rosario-born coach Mauricio Pochettino, there are also the Argentine players Paulo Gazzaniga (goalkeeper), Juan Foyth (former defender of Estudiantes de La Plata), and Erik Lamela (former midfielder of River Plate).

DRINKING MATE AND PLAYING UNO

Dier explained that daily life before the World Cup consists of playing Uno, the popular card game, while drinking mate.

He himself is responsible for spreading mate among his peers, as Dele Alli claims he is the only one who knows how to prepare it.

"Mate, pronounced 'mah-teh', is similar to loose-leaf tea, but made with ground leaves from a holly plant called yerba mate," explained The Telegraph newspaper.

Regarding the preparation, the tabloid detailed the steps for the English players to dare to prepare it: "Traditionally, the leaves are dried, chopped, ground, and soaked in hot water before being filtered. The water should be hot (around 70 degrees Celsius), but not boiling."

"BENEFICIAL AS A DRINK"

To further clarify the situation, nutritionist Jo Travers stated in the British press that "mate is quite beneficial as a drink. The polyphenols and saponins (compounds from the plants used to make yerba mate) are antioxidants and anti-inflammatory, similar to green tea."

And she added: "However, it has more caffeine than a regular cup of tea, which helps reduce the perception of pain, so it can be useful in exercise as it provides a boost of energy and concentration. Both are useful if you are a professional soccer player."

WHAT THE BRITISH NUTRITION MAGAZINE SAYS

According to a study from the British Journal of Nutrition, mate "provides antioxidants, reduces stress, and protects cardiovascular health" during training.

"It also helps generate more and better energy, increases endurance, and prevents the accumulation of lactic acid in the body, which can cause a burning sensation in the muscles and hinder exercise," concludes the report.