Argentina president to skip World Cup final due to superstition

Argentina President Javier Milei will not attend the World Cup final in New Jersey on Sunday due to his superstitions. The president believes that since the team has won throughout the tournament while he watched from home, breaking that routine could bring bad luck.

Asked whether he would travel to New Jersey for the final against Spain, Milei replied, "Absolutely not." Despite speculation about his possible presence with US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, he rejected the idea.

Milei told radio station El Observador that he will watch the match from Olivos, the Argentine president's official residence, as he has done for all seven matches of the tournament. When asked if it was due to superstition, he answered "Yes" directly.

He also shared another belief: he wears a thick jacket with the logo of oil company YPF instead of using a heater. He took it off during the quarter-final against Switzerland due to the heat, and Argentina conceded a goal immediately. He put it back on and has not removed it since.

Milei's approach reflects a long-standing tradition among Argentine presidents. In 1990, President Carlos Menem met the team before the opening match, and Argentina unexpectedly lost to Cameroon. He was subsequently labelled as bringing bad luck, and no Argentine president has attended a World Cup match since.