Lionel Messi may be one of the greatest soccer players (or football players or futbol players) the world has ever seen. But can he make a hydration drink? I tasted all four flavors of the new Más+ by Messi hydration drink to find out.
Before we dive into the reviews, let me just say that I am coming at this from the perspective of someone who eats and drinks things for a living, not a sporty person and not a mega soccer fan. I keep active, sure, and I do watch soccer (my husband is a big Premier League and MLS fan, and he did join me in this taste test), but really, my priorities all revolve around my taste buds.
But if you’re interested in all the things that might help you recover after a hard workout, here’s the deal. Más+ by Messi includes four electrolytes (sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium), as well as zinc, and vitamins B3, B6, B12, A, C, and E. Each flavor includes just one gram of cane sugar per 16.9 fl oz (the drinks are also sweetened with stevia), and contain just 10 calories. There are no artificial colors. The slogan? “Think positive. Drink positive. Get more out of life.” That all sounds great. But, how does this new Messi sports drink taste? Let’s get into it.
- Más+ Orange D’Or
-
This flavor is named for Messi’s eight wins of the Ballon d’Or, an annual French soccer award. It’s not much of a pun, but I guess if I won a French soccer trophy more than anyone else ever had, I’d want to boast about it as much as possible, too.
Pros: If you really enjoy slurping down a glass of Emergen-C, then this is the Messi hydration drink flavor of your dreams. It has that kind of orange flavor. It’s also saltier than the other flavors, which some folks like.
Cons: Personally, I don’t like it when hydration drinks taste too salty. I’m happy to know there are electrolytes in the mix, but I don’t need to taste them. There’s also a bittersweet aftertaste, thanks to the stevia, I think, that just lasts and lasts. While I could chug this Messi sports drink after giving a bunch of blood, I’m not reaching for it when I’m thirsty in any normal situation.
Credit: Liv Averett / Mas by Messi
- Más+ Miami Punch
-
Messi joined Inter Miami CF (Miami’s MLS team) in 2023 to much fanfare. As an ode to his new American home, he made this drink. According to the website, it’s supposed to taste like pineapple and classic fruit punch.
Pros: It really smells and tastes like fruit punch—that classic, red melange of fruity flavors. But there’s an added punch of sweetness that kinda tastes like melted strawberry ice cream or cotton candy. It truly tastes “pink,” which is fitting for Miami, I think.
Cons: I wish I was able to taste any of the pineapple the brand mentions—it would help counteract some of the sweetness. Without any of that tropical acidity, this flavor is a bit too sweet for me. And it still has some of that electrolyte saltiness.
Credit: Liv Averett / Mas by Messi
- Más+ Berry Copa Crush
-
Named for Messi’s many “Copa” titles—both Copa del Rey with Barcelona and Copa del Mundo and World Cup with Argentina—this blue flavor is said to include notes of blueberries, raspberries, cherries, and acai berries.
Pros: Do you like blue Jell-O? Then you’ll probably like this Lionel Messi hydration drink flavor. Because that’s almost exactly what it tastes like. The vibrant generic berry flavor covers up any saltiness and has a good balance of sweetness and acidity.
Cons: It definitely does not taste like any actual berries from nature, but we’re not talking about juice. We’re talking about a Lionel Messi sports drink.
Credit: Liv Averett / Mas by Messi
- Más+ Limon Lime League
-
This one is named for the time Messi spent in the UEFA Champions League, which he honors with a citrusy hydration drink that is meant to channel the flavor of aguas frescas. Out of all the flavors of Messi’s hydration drink, this was the one I finished.
Pros: Mellow and limey, this flavor reminds me a bit of Vitamin Water, rather than Gatorade. It’s much more subtle than the other flavors. And I like that in something I’m chugging after a hard workout (or 15-minute jog, in my case). It finishes clean with very little aftertaste and it’s not noticeably salty.
Cons: Some people want a ton of flavor. If that’s you, opt for another flavor—try the blue one. And you can definitely detect the stevia. But if that’s a dealbreaker, then I don’t think any of these flavors are for you.
Credit: Liv Averett / Mas by Messi