Mateador: The calabashes of football stars

During his four years at a major Parisian football club, Romain Grunstein was fascinated by the pre-match ritual of South American footballers. “They would enter their own world by preparing their maté; this preparation allowed them to concentrate and release pre-match stress.”

One day, curious to discover what lay behind this preparation, he asked Matador Cavani to taste it. Initially very surprised by the infusion, he quickly became a convert and a complete fan of maté . “The first sips are very surprising; maté has a very particular flavor that we aren't used to in Europe. But the palate adapts quite quickly, and after that, you can't do without it!”

It was with the support and encouragement of Cavani, Di Maria, Lavezzi and others that Romain embarked on the Mateador adventure.

“A player once said something to me that really stuck with me: it was a comparison between coffee and maté. Drinking maté from a poor-quality gourd is like drinking capsule coffee from a plastic cup .”

Accompanied by Cavani and his family, Romain made the journey to discover the culture of maté . During these moments of sharing, he was able to meet the best artisans who still work with him today.

Back in France, enriched with new friends and sharpened knowledge, Romain fully embarked on the Mateador adventure .

It didn't take long for the famous handcrafted mate gourds to become a topic of conversation. Their quality, the craftsmanship involved, and their unique design make them true works of art.

Word quickly spread about Mateador's gourds , and many South Americans soon contacted him to find in Europe a piece of typically Latin American culture and craftsmanship.

Romain shares with us a memorable encounter with one of his idols:

“It’s crazy, as a kid I was a huge fan of Riquelme for his playing style, which I can still see today in Pastore. He and his brother honored me by asking me to make a personalized gourd. I was delighted and very honored by the trust they placed in me.”

Since then, Mateador has become a fixture in almost every locker room in Europe , and countless athletes have already used its services. The list is long (too long) to share here, so if you'd like a glimpse, check out the @mateador account!

So much so that during the 2018 World Cup, no less than 18 players from different national teams proudly sported a Mateador-branded calabash, and in the final, both teams were also equipped with a magnificent calabash!

As an added bonus, you can even spot a calabash in the Argentine team's promotional video.

A few months later, it was the ultimate recognition. Lionel Messi himself sported a sumptuous Mateador calabash, skillfully customized by Hza_Custom .

“I am very happy to have been able to work on such a project, but I am even happier for the family in Argentina who made it; for them, it is exceptional.”

This popularity has led to a surge in demand for personalized gourds. Today, the waiting list is long, but how can one not wait for these works of art ?

If you would like to learn more about Mateador, you can find several articles in Le Parisien , Konbini , Street Press , Goal and Ouest France.