Enzo Maresca Has Been Drinking Mate for 26 Years, Since His Juventus Days

A thermos tucked under his arm, the bombilla always within reach, and 26 years of habit behind him. That's how Enzo Maresca, manager of Manchester City, describes his relationship with mate, the drink that's practically a daily ritual in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, and one the Italian coach took to as if he'd been born with it in hand.

The story starts far from England, in the Juventus locker room back in the year 2000. Maresca was still a player then, sharing a squad with South Americans who first showed him what that green drink passing from hand to hand was all about. "In 2000, when I was playing at Juventus, I had some South American teammates: Paolo Montero, who's Uruguayan, and then there was Mauro Camoranesi, who also drank it. Well, I started there, in 2000. That's 26 years ago and I'm still drinking mate," the coach said, tracing the origin of a habit that's followed him through every stage of his career.

What's striking is that the taste for it never faded with time. Instead, it kept growing with every new locker room he walked into. Over more than two decades, Maresca crossed paths with several River Plate area players who reinforced the habit, both at training and on preseason tours. "In recent years I've had a lot of them: Mudo Vazquez, who's now at Belgrano, Paulo Dybala. I've shared it with a lot of people. I still prepare it myself, but Willy Caballero is here with me, and I also shared a locker room for years with Micho, Martin Demichelis, so it's a good habit," he explained, naming some of the people who were part of that education.

A Habit That Became a Family Affair

What began as a curiosity between training sessions ended up moving right into his home. Mate isn't just a locker room thing for Maresca anymore, it's become a habit he shares with his entire family. "My wife drinks mate and my four kids drink mate," the coach revealed, making clear the drink went from being a soccer anecdote to a mark of identity inside his own house.

Still, having the habit isn't the same as mastering the art of pouring it. And that's where Maresca is the first to admit his limits. With more than a quarter century of experience as a drinker, he still defers to those who truly know how to prepare a good mate.

I've been drinking mate for 26 years and I still can't prepare it as well as you all do. I think that's normal.Enzo Maresca

Laughing, the coach acknowledges that unfinished business and prefers to leave the job to the specialists, the same South American players who, over the years, became more than just teammates: they were the ones who left him with a habit that now lives on inside his own home.