Argentina’s President Javier Milei announced on Thursday that he won’t be attending the World Cup final, citing superstitions. Instead, he’ll be watching the match between Spain and Argentina from home. Throughout the tournament, he has seen all seven of the defending champions’ games, and they’ve all ended in victories.
Milei plans to wear a particular thick jacket during the game, hoping it might help the national soccer team secure their second consecutive title.
Fans and players often hold onto superstitions, believing they can bring good luck or inflict bad luck on their rivals.
In Latin America, and especially in Argentina, these “kabbalah” rituals carry a lot of significance, reflecting how passionately many people follow their national team.
When asked if he’d be traveling to New Jersey for the game—something many expected, especially with President Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino nearby—Milei firmly said, “No way.”
“I will keep watching from Olivos,” he mentioned during a local radio interview in Buenos Aires, referring to the presidential residence.
The journalist pressed him on whether his choice to stay home was due to superstition, to which Milei replied, “Yes,” sharing an interesting anecdote. “It was really warm on the day of the game in Switzerland. I took off my jacket, and they scored. Once I put it back on, I didn’t take it off again.”
Many Argentines seem to follow similar superstitions, feeling they must maintain the same routine if their team is winning.
Some fans refuse to wash their jerseys during the tournament or wear the same clothing throughout the game. Others have particular spots they must watch from, while some, like a person who left the room as Argentina scored, can’t watch at all.
Even minor actions matter. A popular video from this World Cup shows fans beginning to read the Bible right as Argentina scored against Egypt, a ritual they’ve continued through each match since.
One unusual ritual involves freezing player figurines or sheets of paper with the names of opposing team members, which is thought to influence their performance negatively.
Historically, Argentine presidents have been cautious about attending World Cup games to avoid jinxing the team.
This superstition goes back to the 1990 Games when then-President Carlos Menem visited the national team just before they faced a shocking loss against Cameroon. He became associated with the “muffa” curse, and since then, it’s been customary for no sitting president to attend national team matches.
