Argentine President Javier Milei announced he will not attend the World Cup final, citing superstition as the reason. Instead, he plans to watch the match between Spain and Argentina from his home. This location has been his viewing spot for all previous seven victorious games in the tournament. To support his nation’s team in their quest for a second consecutive title, Milei will also wear the same heavy jacket he has worn for previous matches.
Fans and players globally hold superstitions they believe bring luck or misfortune. In Latin America, particularly in Argentina, such beliefs, known as “cábalas,” hold significant influence. These rituals reflect the passionate manner in which many Argentines support their national team.
This tradition of superstition is long-standing among Argentine presidents. On Thursday, Milei confirmed he would not travel to New Jersey to watch the game with U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. This decision was anticipated. Milei explained to Buenos Aires radio station El Observador that he would continue watching from his residence in Olivos.
Upon inquiry regarding his superstitions, Milei elaborated on one of his rituals: he wears an oil company-branded jacket. He recalled a past incident during the Switzerland game when he removed the jacket due to warmth, leading to an opponent’s goal. He promptly put the jacket back on and kept it on for subsequent games.
Many Argentines share Milei’s belief in maintaining consistent routines if the team is performing well. Common practices include wearing the same clothes during matches, refraining from washing jerseys, or watching games from specific spots. Fans assign great meaning to trivial actions, such as choosing not to watch if they were previously away from the TV during a successful game moment.
A viral video captured one group of fans reading from the Bible as Argentina scored against Egypt, obligating them to repeat the ritual for future matches. Another popular strategy to influence opponents involves freezing figurines or paper with rival players’ names.
Historically, Argentine presidents have been wary of attending crucial World Cup matches to avoid bad luck. This tradition began after the 1990 tournament when then-President Carlos Menem visited the team and Argentina subsequently lost to Cameroon. Menem was labeled a “mufa,” or jinx, leading to no current sitting president attending national team matches since.