Argentine President Javier Milei said on Thursday he won’t be attending the World Cup final because of superstition, instead choosing to view Sunday’s match between Spain and Argentina from home — where he has watched the defending champion’s previous seven games, all victories, in the tournament.
In a bid to help his nation’s beloved soccer team secure its second consecutive title, Milei added, 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 “cábalas,” or ritualistic beliefs and habits, carry unusual weight, reflecting the intensity with which many there 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 Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, as was widely expected, Milei replied, “No way.”
“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 cábalas that require they stick to the exact same routine if the team is winning, The Associated Press reported. 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.
Spain’s Lamine Yamal and Pedro Porro trained separately from the rest of the squad on Thursday as they began preparations in New Jersey for Sunday’s World Cup final against Argentina.
The pair lay on the pitch at one of Red Bull New York’s training facilities during the opening session for Luis de la Fuente’s side.
The Spanish football federation (RFEF) told Reuters that both players are expected to be available for Sunday’s match and that their separate work was a precautionary measure as part of workload management.
De la Fuente said after Spain’s semi-final win over France that Porro had been carrying a knock. Reuters understands the full back has suffered a hamstring strain, although the problem is not considered serious.
Yamal’s situation appears less concerning. De la Fuente said after the France match that the teenager had “nothing”, but the physical effects of his duel with Lucas Digne and Theo Hernandez were visible the following day, with the forward nursing aches and bruises from a demanding match.
Spain’s priority is to ensure Yamal, Porro and the rest of the squad are as fresh as possible for the final.
For the rest of the squad, the 15 minutes of training open to the media passed without incident, with the players relaxed and upbeat despite humid conditions and temperatures of around 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).
Spain have three days to adjust to the heat and humidity before playing only their second outdoor match of the tournament.
Fiorentina have signed 21-year-old Spanish right back Alex Jimenez from Bournemouth on a season-long loan with an option to make the move permanent, the Serie A club said on Thursday.
Jimenez made 32 appearances across all competitions for Bournemouth last season, but the Spaniard was dropped in May as the Premier League club omitted him from their squad while investigating social media posts linked to the player.
According to Reuters, Bournemouth did not provide further details and Jimenez did not respond to requests for comment made to his representatives at the time.
Fiorentina did not disclose the financial terms of the deal, although Italian and British media reported the option to buy is worth about 20 million euros ($22.88 million).
“ACF Fiorentina announces that it has acquired, on a loan basis with an option to buy, the sporting rights of player Alejandro Jimenez Sanchez from AFC Bournemouth,” the Italian club said in a statement.
Jimenez joined Bournemouth permanently from AC Milan in February after an initial loan spell and made 31 Premier League appearances last season, scoring one goal.
A product of Real Madrid’s academy, Jimenez moved to Milan in 2023 before joining Bournemouth, where he established himself as a regular in the first team.
Nike’s swoosh will be notably absent from the World Cup final. Argentina’s semi-final win over England on Wednesday crushed the sportswear giant’s hopes of sponsoring a team on the tournament’s biggest stage on Sunday.
Amid a fierce brand battle on and off the pitch, the outcome represents an assured visibility boost for rival Adidas , which outfits both finalists: Argentina and Spain, Reuters reported.
Adidas had sponsored a total of 14 national teams in the tournament. None of Nike’s 12 teams, including semi-finalists England and France, managed to secure a spot in the final match. Both companies have invested heavily in the soccer tournament, but Nike has been relying on it for sales and visibility as it tries to right its ship amid years of steadily shrinking market share. Even a World Cup lift was unlikely to shift Nike’s trajectory. The sportswear company last month signaled that CEO Elliott Hill’s turnaround strategy faced significant obstacles, as persistent weakness in China and a cautious outlook overshadowed a modest fourth-quarter revenue beat. The company’s shares have lost nearly a third of their value this year as investors grow impatient with Hill’s progress.
“There are more important issues, such as footwear innovation, inventory control, and stabilizing sales and margins in China,” said Morningstar analyst David Swartz. “Adidas got more publicity, but that’s just the way it goes.”
A Nike spokesperson said the company always wants its athletes and federation partners to go as far as possible, but that “our vision for football has never been tied to a single moment.”
Adidas called the World Cup final a “proud moment” for the company, while declining to share sales projections.
