World Cup 2022: Coffee XI

To celebrate World Cup 2022, we've compiled our best coffee XI from players who will be taking part in this month's tournament. Read on to see if your favourite players have made the cut!

Goalkeeper

In goal, it's Germany's number two, Kevin Trapp-uccino. 

Although he's unlikely to play much this winter, he'll be the first player his teammates turn to when they need a luxury hot drink the morning before a match.

Defence

We've gone for a versatile back five, with the Netherlands' Jurrien Timber-ista serving up delicious assists from his position at right wing-back, while Brazilian Alex Telles-presso brings relentless energy to his role on the opposite flank.

Making up the rest of the defence are two English centre backs and another Dutchman, in the forms of Ben 'Flat' White, Conor Coady-caff and our captain, Virgil 'Mobile Coffee' van Dijk, who we know will deliver the goods all over the pitch.

Is this the most thirst-quenching fivesome there's ever bean?!

Midfield

To accommodate our marauding wing-backs, we've opted for safety and stability in our team's engine room, with an athletic but defensively-minded duo comprising another Brazilian and a third English representative. Take a bow Cafemiro and Declan Rice-d coffee.

What this pair lack in goal threat, they more than make up for in tasty tackles. Let's just hope they don't end up in too much hot water!

Completing our midfield in an advanced role just behind the strikers is Morocco's Sofiane Brew-fal. A lively, silky smooth operator, he's the perfect pick-me-up when energy levels start to flag in the latter stages of a game.

Attack

Who else but France's favourite son, Kylian Mfrappé, alongside Samba star Neymaricano!

With flicks and tricks galore and ice running through their veins, we're sure these two will score our XI plenty of latte-minute winners.

Manager

And every team needs a manager - so our Coffee XI will be coached by Spain’s Luis Enri-queue at the back of our van.

It's coming home?

Let us know how you think this team would get on at World KeepCup 2022 and send us your own coffee XI on our social media channels!

Euro 2020 - How do Other European Nations have their Coffee?

In England, the humble latte is the most popular type of coffee but there are an almost infinite number of ways the drink can be enjoyed.

Now the belated Euro 2020 football tournament is finally underway, what better time to take a look at some of the ways coffee is consumed by our European neighbours?

Italy

As the world capital of coffee, Italy knows a thing or two about drinking the black stuff. Espressos are the most popular option, with Italians typically drinking multiple cups each day.

Rich and thick, espressos are brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water through finely ground coffee beans and, in Italy, are commonly served with a slice of lemon to bring out their sweeter flavours. 

Despite increasing your metabolism, helping you burn calories faster and being delicious, professional athletes are still more likely to opt for water at half-time.

Portugal

A refreshing twist on a classic, one of the most popular coffees in Portugal is the Mazagran, aka the original iced coffee.

Available in any Portuguese pastelaria worth its salt, Mazagran is a sweetened, cold beverage that typically consists of espresso and lemon juice. However, the lemon can be replaced with rum for coffee fans in need of an even stronger kick. Ronaldo might not approve.

Finland

Finland may be something of an unknown quantity when it comes to its national football team but, in the UK, even less is known about Kaffeost, one of the country's traditional drinks.

A combination of coffee and cheese cubes - which are immersed in the liquid - Kaffeost is traditionally 'enjoyed' by groups of Finns as a welcome drink. Opinion is divided about whether the cheese should be eaten before the coffee is drunk or vice-versa but one thing Kaffeost fans agree on is that it should be drunk before the coffee becomes cold and somehow makes the whole thing taste even worse.

In the European Championship of coffees, this one is unlikely to make it out of the group stage.

Turkey

Turkish coffee, or Türk kahvesi, is prepared using very finely ground coffee beans and is one of the most popular types of coffee in the world due to its seriously high strength.

Simmered in a special brass pot known as a cezve, Turkish coffee is rich and gets its potency from being unfiltered, resulting in a higher concentration of caffeine and a drink that should come with a warning. Not for the faint-hearted.

Spain

Among the best looking of all coffees, Spanish cafe bombon coffees are a sweet-toothed coffee lover's dream.

Sugary and so thick you can chew them, cafe bombons are equal parts black coffee and sweetened, condensed milk, served in a glass in order to appeal to the eyes as much as the taste buds. 

By slowly adding the milk to the coffee, the milk sinks to the bottom of the glass and separates, resulting in a coffee in two distinct, irresistible layers that look and taste classier than Andrés Iniesta in a three piece suit.

Whichever type of coffee you prefer, we're confident you'll find something to love among our range of quality Cafe2U coffees. Find your nearest van here and make a booking.

The Brewtiful Game: The First Cafe2U Coffee Cup

With national sport on hold for the time being and the coming weekend’s FA Cup Final postponed indefinitely, we’ve decided to create our own competition celebrating the ‘brewtiful game’ with some of our most popular coffees and hot drinks!

This Friday and Saturday will see some of the world’s best cafe beverages battling it out to be crowned champions of the inaugural Cafe2U Coffee Cup.

We will be pitting the qualifying hot drinks against one another on our Instagram and on our Facebook page, giving you the opportunity to vote for the drink you believe should progress from the quarters to the semis and ultimately the much-coveted Cafe2U Coffee Cup final.

In other words, which Cafe2U hot drink favourite truly is the world’s best? Will it be a grande final for your favourite, or will it be a tough result to swallow for others? You decide!

The Fixtures

After much deliberation from the Cafe2U pundits, we’ve created the perfect blend of head to heads that should stir up a great deal of excitement!

Here’s the tasty fixture list:

Friday 22nd May - Quarter Finals

Flat White vs. Chai Latte
KO: 9:15 am
Managers: STEAve Bruce, Rafael Bean-itez

Tea vs. Hot Chocolate
KO: 9:30 am
Managers: Nuno Espressito Santo, O-latte Gunnar Solskjaer

Mocha vs. Cappuccino
KO: 9:45 am
Managers: Marcocoa Silva, Carlo Ancelatte

Latte vs. Americano
KO: 10:00 am
Managers: Nigel Tea-rson, Jose Mour-tea-nho

Semi-finals

TBC vs. TBC
KO: 4:00 pm

TBC vs. TBC
KO: 4:15 pm

Saturday 23rd - Final

TBC vs. TBC
KO: 3:00 pm