Argentine President Milei Watches World Cup Final from Home, Citing Superstition

Argentine President Javier Milei announced Thursday that he will not attend Sunday's World Cup final between Argentina and Spain at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, instead choosing to watch from his presidential residence in Olivos, Buenos Aires. Milei cited superstition as the reason for his decision, explaining that he has maintained the same viewing routine throughout the tournament—watching all seven previous Argentine matches from home, all of which resulted in victories.

Milei described a key ritual he plans to maintain during the final: wearing the same heavy jacket branded with an oil company logo. He explained that during Argentina's match against Switzerland, he removed the jacket because he felt too warm, and Argentina conceded a goal shortly after. He immediately put the jacket back on and has not removed it since. "Since it's cold and I don't turn on the heat, I wear an oil company-branded jacket," Milei told local radio station El Observador. When asked if his decision to stay home was based on superstition, he confirmed: "Yes."

When asked whether he would travel to New Jersey to watch alongside U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, as had been widely expected, Milei replied directly: "No way." He stated: "I'm going to keep watching all the games from Olivos."

Milei's adherence to superstitious rituals reflects a broader cultural phenomenon in Argentina, where so-called "cábalas"—ritualistic beliefs and habits—carry significant weight among fans and officials. Many Argentines follow strict routines during World Cup matches, including wearing unwashed jerseys, watching from the same location, or avoiding bathrooms when their team scores. Argentine presidents have historically been cautious about attending high-stakes World Cup matches, a practice dating back to the 1990 tournament when then-President Carlos Menem visited the Argentine squad before it suffered a shocking opening loss to Cameroon. Menem was subsequently branded a "mufa," or jinx. No sitting Argentine president is known to have attended a national team match since.

Other members of the Argentine football community have also embraced superstitious practices. Coach Lionel Scaloni has stated he always steps onto the field with his right foot first, a habit he has maintained since beginning his football career. Players Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, and Argentine Football Association President Claudio Tapia have maintained a tradition of posing for a photograph together before major matches since Argentina's 2021 Copa America victory over Brazil. They repeated the ritual before the 2022 Finalissima against Italy and the 2022 World Cup final against France, both of which Argentina won. The trio plans to continue the tradition before the 2026 final.