via Natt Lim for NESCAFÉ®
It is going to be a monumentally big summer for soccer around the globe. And if you’re anything like me, your actual involvement in the beautiful game isn’t measured in miles run on the pitch, but in the sheer volume of hot air expelled at the bar after the final whistle.
The post-game dissection. The Monday morning quarterbacking, but on a weekend afternoon. The spirited, slightly unhinged debates over a missed penalty or a blown offside call. NESCAFÉ is officially calling this glorious period of armchair punditry the “Third Half.”
To ring in this massive summer of soccer, NESCAFÉ tapped USMNT legend Landon Donovan (alongside El Tri icon Luis García) to spearhead their new campaign. I recently had the chance to catch up with Donovan, and as a guy whose veins pump pure adrenaline and, apparently, a heavy dose of caffeine, I had to ask him where the best beans on earth actually come from.
Sorry, Europe. Your reign is over.
“In my experience, the countries with the best coffee are Central America and South America. No question,” Donovan told me. “Not France, not Italy? I mean—right, I like French and Italian coffee, and I appreciate that, and I’m a fan, but I think the others are best. Costa Rica I’ve been to, that has amazing coffee. El Salvador, Honduras, um, they’re all very good.”
So, does an absolute soccer legend actually pound a cup of joe before lacing up his cleats to represent his country?
“I used to drink Nescafe Espresso before games, always,” Donovan explained. “Now I drink it more, I would say, functionally, as needed. But I have three kids, so it’s needed a lot.”
I only have to manage my own fantasy team and occasionally remember to take out the recycling, and I still need it functionally. I can only imagine the sheer wattage of caffeine required to parent three human children while being a national sports icon.
Which brings us to the pièce de résistance of this whole endeavor: The NESCAFÉ Espresso Keg.
Yes, you read that correctly. A keg. For your coffee. Because why should beer have all the fun when the post-game debate stretches deep into the evening?
According to the stats, 83% of fans say post-game conversations heat up after the match ends. To fuel that frenetic energy, NESCAFÉ created a literal mini-keg designed to put espresso at the center of your crew’s post-match rituals.
via NESCAFÉ®
Here is the beautiful part. You don’t have to break the bank to acquire this magnificent vessel of liquid stamina. NESCAFÉ is dropping these Espresso Kegs for exactly $10—a fitting tribute to Donovan’s iconic jersey number. They hold about 20 servings and come fully loaded with two 10-oz bottles of NESCAFÉ Espresso Concentrate (one Black, one Sweet Vanilla) to get the taps flowing immediately.
Don’t get left on the sidelines. The kegs are dropping three times this summer: May 15, May 21, and June 11 at 2 p.m. ET over at nescafe.com/espressokegs.
It’s only $10… if you can get your handso on one.
Get in, get caffeinated, and get ready to yell at your friends about a sport you only pretend to fully understand. The Third Half awaits.