According to the New Strait Times, Argentine President Javier Milei recently announced that he will not travel to the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to watch Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain in person. The reason, however, is not a scheduling conflict or official duties, but a surprising explanation that has caught many football fans off guard — Milei believes that his presence at the stadium could bring “bad luck” to the Argentine national team.
The libertarian president, who became internationally known for his “chainsaw campaign” during his rise to power, believes that Argentina’s perfect record in the tournament so far is tied to a specific routine. Since he watched all seven of Argentina’s previous World Cup matches from the presidential residence, and the team won every game, he says the final should follow the exact same “ritual” to avoid disrupting the team’s winning momentum.
Milei embraces his ‘lucky ritual,’ refusing to change even his jacket
In an interview with Argentine media outlet El Observador, Milei said he would continue watching the match from the presidential residence in Olivos, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, rather than flying to the United States.
When the host directly asked whether superstition was the reason behind his decision to skip the final in person, Milei did not hesitate to answer: “That’s right.”
He also revealed that throughout the World Cup, he had been wearing the same thick jacket featuring an oil company logo while watching Argentina’s matches.
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“During the match against Switzerland, I felt too warm at one point and took off the jacket. Argentina immediately conceded a goal. I put it back on right away, and I haven’t taken it off since,” Milei said.
As a result, on the day of the final, he plans not only to watch the game from the same location but also to continue wearing his “lucky jacket,” hoping it will help Argentina secure back-to-back World Cup titles.
Argentina’s ‘cábala’ football superstition runs deep—even the president is no exception
In fact, Milei’s behavior is far from unusual in Argentina.
The Buenos Aires Herald has noted that across Latin America, particularly in Argentina, a football tradition known as “Cábala” has become deeply rooted in fan culture. Supporters believe that as long as a team continues to win, they must maintain exactly the same viewing habits — otherwise, the good fortune could disappear.
Some fans insist on wearing the same jersey throughout an entire tournament, even refusing to wash it. Others must sit in the exact same spot at home for every match. Some have even avoided watching games altogether after their team scored while they happened to be in the bathroom, fearing that returning to watch could disrupt the team’s winning streak.
During this year’s World Cup, a video that went viral on social media showed a group of Argentine fans collectively reciting the Bible during the team’s match against Egypt, just as Argentina began scoring a series of goals. From that moment on, they continued repeating the same ritual before every match, hoping it would keep “blessing” the national team.
Some fans have taken the superstition even further, placing dolls representing opposing players — or pieces of paper bearing their names — inside freezers in the hope of “freezing” their opponents’ luck.
A ‘presidential curse’ built over three decades—no one wants to take the blame
Milei’s decision to stay away from a crucial World Cup match as Argentina’s president also has historical roots.
The tradition can be traced back to the 1990 World Cup. At the time, President Carlos Menem visited the national team ahead of its opening match, only for Argentina to suffer a shocking defeat against Cameroon. After that upset, many fans began labeling Menem a “mufa” — an Argentine term referring to someone believed to bring bad luck or act as a “jinx.”
Since then, successive Argentina presidents have largely avoided attending key World Cup matches in person, fearing that they could become the target of public criticism if the national team lost.
The Associated Press noted that Milei’s decision to remain at the presidential residence continues this long-standing political tradition, in which Argentine leaders seek to avoid being associated with a potential defeat on football’s biggest stage.
Spain’s top officials to attend final, while Trump also set to be in the stands
In stark contrast to Milei’s decision, Spain will send a high-profile delegation to the World Cup final.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has confirmed that he will travel to the United States to watch the match, where he will be joined by King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor, and Infanta Sofía.
U.S. President Donald Trump has also confirmed his attendance and is expected to watch the highly anticipated showdown alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Trump and Sánchez had previously clashed over issues including NATO defense spending, trade, and Iran policy. However, the two leaders recently held a brief exchange on the sidelines of the NATO summit.
As the World Cup final approaches, the contrast between the two sides has become a talking point beyond the pitch: Argentina’s president has chosen to rely on a touch of “football superstition” to support the national team from afar, while Spain has assembled much of its top leadership to cheer from the stadium.
The highly anticipated clash between defending champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, and European champions Spain has therefore attracted attention not only for the football itself, but also for the political and cultural stories surrounding the match.
