Argentine President Javier Milei will skip Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final against Spain, saying superstition is more important than a seat in the stadium.
Milei revealed on Thursday that he will watch the final from the presidential residence in Olivos, just as he has done for Argentina’s previous seven matches at the tournament, all of which the defending champion has won.
“I’ll keep watching all the games from Olivos,” Milei told Buenos Aires radio station El Observador, confirming that his decision was driven by superstition.
The President also plans to wear the same heavy oil company-branded jacket that has become part of his matchday ritual. Recalling Argentina’s group-stage clash against Switzerland, Milei said he briefly removed the jacket because of the heat, only for the opposition to score. “I put it back on and never took it off again,” he said.
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. Some rituals are more unusual, including reading passages from the Bible or freezing figurines and slips of paper bearing opponents’ names in the hope of influencing the result.
Milei’s decision also reflects a long-standing Presidential tradition. Since Argentina’s shock defeat to Cameroon at the 1990 World Cup, when then-President Carlos Menem visited the squad before the opening match and was labelled a “ mufa” (jinx), sitting Argentine Presidents have largely stayed away from the national team’s World Cup matches.
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Published on Jul 17, 2026