Surprise Decision by Argentina’s President Ahead of the World Cup Final
Just days before the highly anticipated World Cup final against Spain, Argentina’s president made an unexpected decision even before kickoff.
Argentine President Javier Milei announced that he will not attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Spain, scheduled for the 19th of this month. Instead, he will watch the match from the presidential residence, remaining faithful to what he describes as his “good-luck rituals,” which he believes have contributed to Argentina’s journey to the final.
Milei made the remarks in response to questions about whether he would travel to the U.S. state of New Jersey to attend the final alongside U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, a visit that had been widely anticipated.
However, the Argentine president replied, “No, I will continue watching the matches from Olivos,” referring to the official presidential residence.
Speaking during a radio interview, Milei explained that he had watched all seven of Argentina’s previous matches from his home, with each one ending in victory. He stressed that he had no intention of changing this routine before the decisive final.
In an effort to help Argentina secure its second consecutive World Cup title, Milei also revealed that he would wear the very same jacket he had worn during the team’s previous matches.
He recalled an incident that reinforced his belief in these rituals, explaining that during the match against Switzerland he removed his jacket because he felt too warm, after which Argentina conceded a goal. He then put the jacket back on.
The Tradition of “Cábalas”
Good-luck rituals, known in Argentina as “cábalas,” are deeply rooted in the country’s football culture. Many supporters carefully repeat the same routines as long as the national team continues to win, whether by wearing the same clothes, sitting in the same seat, or following personal match-day traditions.
Both fans and some players believe these rituals either bring good fortune to Argentina or bad luck to its opponents.
Some supporters wear the exact same outfit for every match and even refuse to wash their jerseys throughout the entire World Cup.
Among the more unusual traditions is freezing figurines representing opposing players or pieces of paper bearing the names of rival teams, believing that doing so may negatively influence the opposition’s performance.
Why Such Caution?
Argentine presidents’ reluctance to attend World Cup matches dates back to the 1990 FIFA World Cup. During that tournament, former President Carlos Menem visited the national team’s training camp shortly before Argentina suffered a shocking opening-match defeat to Cameroon.
Since then, his appearance has become associated in the public imagination with bad luck.
As a result, no sitting Argentine president is known to have attended one of the national team’s World Cup matches while in office.
