Newsletters
President Javier Milei confirmed Thursday he will not attend Sunday's World Cup final between Argentina and Spain in person, opting instead to watch from his presidential residence, Olivos, where he has followed all seven of Argentina's previous matches in the tournament, each ending in victory.
Speaking to Buenos Aires radio station El Observador, Milei was asked whether his decision was rooted in superstition.
"Yes," he replied, confirming he had turned down what was widely expected to be an appearance at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, alongside U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
"No way," Milei said when asked directly if he would travel for the game.
Milei also detailed a second ritual tied to his match-day attire. He said he watches every game wearing a jacket branded by Argentina's state energy company, YPF, rather than turning on the heat in his residence.
"The day of the Switzerland game, it made me really hot. I took it off, and they scored a goal against us. I put it back on and never took it off again," he said.
Such rituals, known locally as "cabalas," carry particular weight in Argentina, where fans often maintain fixed routines throughout a winning run.
Common practices include wearing unwashed jerseys throughout the tournament, watching matches from the same seat, or avoiding the television altogether if a goal happened to be scored while a fan was out of the room.
The intensity of the custom extends to symbolic gestures aimed at opposing teams. During Argentina's group-stage match against Egypt, a video showing a group of fans reading from the Bible as the team began scoring went viral, prompting the group to repeat the act before every subsequent match.
Some supporters have also frozen figurines or written the names of rival players on paper as a form of ritual disruption.
Presidential caution around World Cup finals dates to 1990, when then-President Carlos Menem visited the national squad shortly before its opening loss to Cameroon.
Menem was subsequently labeled a "mufa," or jinx, and no sitting Argentine president has attended a national team match since.
Milei has said he has offered use of the Casa Rosada, Argentina's presidential palace, for celebrations should the team win Sunday.
Spain, appearing in its second World Cup final after winning the title in South Africa in 2010, will have King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia and their two daughters in attendance at MetLife Stadium.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
5 min read
