2026 World Cup: Why Argentina President Javier Milei Will Not Attend the Final Against Spain
- Argentine President Javier Milei confirmed he will skip the 2026 World Cup final against Spain on Sunday
- Milei cited superstition as his reason, having watched Argentina's seven previous tournament wins from his presidential residence
- Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and players including Messi also follow their own pre-match rituals ahead of the final
Argentine President Javier Milei has ruled out travelling to the United States for the 2026 World Cup final, confirming he will watch Sunday's match between Argentina and Spain from his presidential residence in Olivos, just as he did for every other game during the tournament.
Milei made the announcement on Thursday, July 16, attributing his decision entirely to superstition.
Source: Getty Images
According to The Athletic, Argentina have won all seven of their matches this tournament, and the president is unwilling to disturb what has been a winning formula.
"No way. I'm going to keep watching all the games from Olivos," Milei said, when asked whether he planned to attend the final.
Milei's match-day habits revealed
The 55-year-old president also revealed he intends to wear the same heavy jacket he has had on throughout Argentina's campaign.
He explained that removing it during the Switzerland match had immediate consequences.
"Since it's cold and I don't turn on the heat, I wear an oil company-branded jacket," he said.
"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."
Milei is far from alone in his superstitious approach.
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has his own long-standing ritual, always stepping onto the pitch with his right foot first, a habit he said dates back to his playing days.
"I've done it since I began playing football and I'll never stop doing it," Scaloni said.
"It doesn't matter what the result of the game is."
Messi, De Paul, and the lucky photo
Several players have also developed their own pre-match routines, ESPN reports.
Lionel Messi, midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, and Argentina Football Association president Claudio Tapia began posing for a group photograph before major matches in 2021, when Argentina ended a 28-year wait for the Copa America title by defeating Brazil.
The trio have since repeated the photo ritual ahead of the Finalissima against Italy in 2022 and the 2022 World Cup final against France, winning on both occasions.
Argentina reached the 2026 final after a 2-1 comeback victory over England on Wednesday and will now face Spain, who beat France in their semi-final.
The match is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium, where the defending champions will attempt to retain their title.
Mysterious cat predicts World Cup final
In another development, Legit.ng reported that Nimbus Pronos, the popular prediction feline, has predicted the winner of the clash between Spain and Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, scheduled at the New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19.
With both teams historically evenly matched and a renowned cat predicting Spain's victory, this final promises to be both thrilling and unforgettable.
Source: Legit.ng
