Argentine president Javier Milei has bizarrely claimed he can’t attend Sunday’s World Cup final in New York due to his superstitious belief that he may cause the team to lose if he is in the stands.
Instead, the controversial right-wing libertarian – who famously wielded a chainsaw as part of his 2023 campaign rallies – will choose to stay at home as his country take on Spain, where he has watched the reigning champions’ previous seven games… all wins.
In a bid to help his nation’s beloved team secure a second consecutive title, Milei added that he’ll be wearing the same heavy jacket, too.
Fans and players around the world cling to superstitions they believe can bring good luck to their team – or misfortune to their opponents.
But in Latin America, and particularly in Argentina, so-called ‘cabalas,’ or ritualistic beliefs and habits, carry unusual weight, reflecting the intensity with which many watch their national team.
When asked Thursday whether he’d travel to New Jersey for Sunday’s game to watch alongside his close ally US President Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, as was widely expected, Milei replied, ‘No way.’
Javier Milei has revealed he won’t be attending the World Cup final due to his superstitions
Lionel Messi and Co will face off against Spain bidding to win back-to-back World Cup titles
‘I’m going to keep watching all the games from Olivos,’ he told a local Buenos Aires radio station, El Observador, referring to his presidential residence.
The journalist asked if he’s staying home for superstitious reasons. Milei said yes, going on to explain another of his rituals: ‘Since it’s cold and I don’t turn on the heat, I wear an oil company-branded jacket.
‘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.’
Like Milei, most Argentines have cabalas that require they stick to the exact same routine if the team is winning.
Some wear the same clothes during every match, refusing to wash their jerseys for the duration of the World Cup. Some watch each game in the same spot — or are not allowed to watch at all, as can be the case with those who happen to be in the bathroom when Argentina scores.
The smallest actions take on extraordinary meaning. In one widely shared video from this World Cup, a group of fans began reading from the Bible just as Argentina started scoring against Egypt, obliging them to repeat the ritual at every match since.
Milei famously wielded a chainsaw during his 2023 election campaign across Argentina
Milei is a close Trump ally, but he will not be inside MetLife Stadium with the US president
One common ritual to impact the rival team involves freezing figurines of players or pieces of paper with opponents’ names on them.
Argentine presidents have long been cautious about attending high-stakes World Cup matches to avoid bringing bad luck to their teams.
The superstition dates back to the 1990 tournament, when then-President Carlos Menem visited the Argentine squad right before it suffered a stunning opening loss to Cameroon.
Menem was branded a ‘mufa,’ a jinx. No sitting Argentine president is known to have attended a national team match since.
Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez, meanwhile, is set to attend the game and will meet Trump as strained relations between the two leaders – over defense spending and the Iran war – continue to simmer.
New York has been ravaged by wildfire smoke in the build-up to Sunday’s final in New Jersey
His office confirmed on Friday that he would attend the game at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, where Trump could end up handing the trophy to his country’s players.
Trump has repeatedly criticized Spain over the government’s refusal to commit to NATO’s target of spending 5% of GDP on defense, making numerous threats of trade reprisals.
The latest came earlier this month at the NATO summit in Ankara when Trump told his advisers to ‘cut off all trade with Spain, including visits.’
The US leader later softened his tone, saying Spain had honored the request for payments and been ‘very generous’, a statement which Sanchez’s government understood as a reference to Madrid complying with its agreed defense spending target of 2% of GDP.
Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez (left), meanwhile, will attend the huge game on Sunday
Sanchez, who also angered Trump’s administration earlier this year by denying use of its military bases and airspace during the US attack on Iran, at the time said Spain sought the best possible relations with its allies.
The two leaders held an informal, friendly conversation at the summit limited to topics including the World Cup, he said.
The Spanish leader has travelled frequently to the United States during his time in office, mostly for UN General Assembly meetings in New York. He visited Washington in 2023 for bilateral meetings with former US President Joe Biden.
The Spanish royal family, including King Felipe, Queen Letizia and their daughters, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia, have also confirmed they will attend the final.
