2026 World Cup / Spain - Argentina: The wild reason why the Argentine president will miss the final

19.07.26 AET World Cup

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The Albiceleste's president, Javier Milei, will not be heading to MetLife Stadium for the final between Argentina and Spain, and the reason is nothing short of surprising.

While Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will be in attendance for the final, Javier Milei is staying put in Argentina. Asked about a potential trip to New York, the Argentine president was blunt in his response: "No way." His absence isn't due to scheduling conflicts or political disputes—it's all about a deeply held superstition.

Milei has watched all seven of the Albiceleste's World Cup victories from his residence in Olivos. Unwilling to break a winning streak before the ultimate showdown, he made it clear: "I will continue to watch every match from Olivos." The leader would rather give up the presidential box than risk jinxing the team's victorious ritual.

Read also: 2026 World Cup: FIFA launches investigation into Argentina

His superstition even extends to his outfit.

"Since it's cold and I don't turn on the heating, I wear a jacket with the colors of an oil company. On the day of the match against Switzerland, I got really hot. I took the jacket off, and we conceded a goal. I put it back on and haven't taken it off since," he recounted.

This caution recalls the "mufa"—or bad luck—label given to Carlos Menem after Argentina's loss to Cameroon in 1990.

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

Editor

Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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