LR: Lionel Messi. US President Donald Trump and Argentine President Javier Miley (AP Photo)
Argentine President Javier Miley will not be in the stands to watch Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain despite calls to join US President Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino in New Jersey. Instead, Miley says he will remain at the presidential residence in Buenos Aires, convinced that sticking to a match-day routine gives Argentina the best chance of retaining the World Cup.The Argentine leader revealed on Thursday that superstition – known locally as Kabbalah – was the sole reason behind his decision to miss football’s biggest match. Argentina won all seven World Cup matches he watched from home during the tournament, and Miley does not want to risk breaking that streak.
“No way,” Miley said when asked by Radio Observador in Buenos Aires if he would travel to New Jersey for the final.He added: “I will continue to watch all the matches from Olivos,” referring to the presidential residence.The decision means that Miley will miss the opportunity to watch the final match alongside Trump, one of his closest international allies, and Infantino, who are expected to be present to present the trophy after the match.
Lucky sweater and football ritual
Miley also revealed another ritual that has become part of Argentina’s unbeaten run.
He explained, “Because it’s cold and I don’t turn on the heating, I wear a jacket bearing the oil company’s brand. On the day of the Switzerland match, it made me very hot. I took it off, and they scored a goal against us. I put it back on and never took it off again.”The president’s routine reflects the broader football culture in Argentina, where Kabbalah occupies an almost sacred place during major tournaments.Many fans refuse to wash their jerseys throughout the World Cup if the team continues to win.
Others insist on watching every match from the same chair or with the same group of friends. Some fans believe they should stay at the exact location where Argentina previously scored goals, while others avoid changing any pre-match routine.One viral video during this World Cup showed a group of fans reading passages from the Bible as Argentina started to score against Egypt. After winning, they repeated this ritual before every subsequent match.
Other fans resort to freezing statues or pieces of paper bearing rivals’ names in the belief that this will bring bad luck to rival teams.
A long-standing presidential myth
Miley’s decision also follows an unusual tradition among Argentine presidents.This belief dates back to the 1990 World Cup, when then-president Carlos Menem visited Argentina shortly before their shock defeat to Cameroon. Menem was later labeled a “mova” – a jinx – and since then Argentine presidents in office have generally avoided attending crucial World Cup matches involving the national team.For many Argentines, the myth has become part of football folklore, and Miley seems determined not to become the leader who breaks it.
Trump is scheduled to attend the final
While Miley remains at home, the White House has confirmed that Trump will attend Sunday’s final at New York-New Jersey.White House Press Secretary Carolyn Leavitt said that the US President was looking forward to the match, describing the tournament as “the most watched, safest and most successful World Cup in American history.”Trump is also expected to attend a FIFA reception at Trump Tower before the final. Infantino confirmed that the US President is expected to join him in presenting the World Cup to the winning captain, continuing the tradition followed by the leaders of the host country in previous finals.The 2022 Cup presentation ceremony in Qatar saw Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani alongside Infantino, with Lionel Messi lifting the World Cup, while Russian President Vladimir Putin joined the FIFA president during France’s victory in 2018.But this time, Argentina’s president will be watching from hundreds of miles away, wearing the same lucky jacket, hoping that keeping faith in his cables will be enough to help the holders lift the World Cup again.