Superstitions, known locally as cábalas, are deeply woven into Argentina’s football culture. Fans often repeat the same routines throughout a winning run, whether it is wearing the same clothes, sitting in the same spot, avoiding washing jerseys, or even refusing to move during a match.
It can even stop their President, Javier Milei, from attending Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, when Argentina aim for a historic title defence against Spain.
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Speaking to a local Buenos Aires radio station on Thursday, the 55-year-old Milei said that there was “no way” that he would exchange the confines of his presidential residence, Olivos, for a seat alongside his US counterpart Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino during the final.