Buenos Aires: Angst-ridden Argentine football fans are putting their faith in good luck rituals ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain.
Lionel Messi’s men are just one game away from retaining their title after beating old foes England 2-1 in Wednesday’s semi-final in Atlanta.But as adrenaline levels soar, supporters need something to calm the nerves.
Good luck rituals are common across the South American nation and a healthy dose of superstition is helping fans cope with the pressure.During the match, “no one moves from the spot they occupied the last time,” Andres Gonzalez told AFP in the working-class Liniers neighborhood of Buenos Aires.The self-declared “football addict” believes it is essential for everybody to follow the rules.
“If you went to the bathroom and there’s a goal, we lock you in. You stay there until the match is over,” the 48-year-old accountant explained with conviction.Gonzalez is referring to a “cabala” -- a ritual believed to bring good luck.
Such practices take place throughout society, with Argentine President Javier Milei disclosing his own special habits on Thursday.“Under no circumstances” would Milei break his custom of watching World Cup matches from the presidential residence, he told El Observador radio.
Over in saleswoman Estela Vargas’s house, match rituals are set in stone -- everyone wears the same clothes and sits in the same chair, while the dog must stay outside.“In the match against England, since he’s an English bulldog, we put an Argentina jersey on him,” the 65-year-old said.
“For Spain, rain or shine, he stays outside.”In Graciela Campos’s home, it is her mother-in-law who has to leave the room.“She goes into the kitchen and knits a blue-and-white scarf,” Campos said.These wacky habits are no joke to those who practice them.
“In football, Argentines don’t feel like spectators but like protagonists,” sociologist Diego Murzi told AFP.“Rituals are part of that -- feeling involved by bringing good luck and warding off bad luck,” he said.
