'This far for the World Cup title,' President declares: "I won't go to the stadium, I'll watch on TV"... What is the reason?

*This content was translated by AI.

The president is equally serious about Argentina's World Cup victory. Due to a severe curse, Argentine President Javier Milei has completely abandoned his plan to attend his first-ever World Cup final in person.

British outlet 'The Independent' reported on the 17th (Korean time) that "President Milei of Argentina declared he would not attend the World Cup final venue due to superstition," adding that "the president plans to watch the match while wearing a thick jacket believed to bring good luck, exactly as he did on the day of the final."

Argentina and Spain will face each other in the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup final scheduled for 4 a.m. on the 20th. The 2022 Qatar World Cup champion Argentina aims to win back-to-back titles alongside Lionel Messi (Inter Miami).

According to reports, President Milei plans to watch the fateful final against Spain from his home, where he has watched all of Argentina's previous seven matches. Local media indicate that in Argentina especially, a belief and habit known as 'cavala' carries an unimaginably heavy significance.

Initially, it was widely expected that President Milei would travel to Newark, New Jersey, USA, where the final is held, and watch the match seated alongside U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

However, in interviews with local media prior to the World Cup, President Milei firmly dismissed such reports as "nonsense." Through Buenos Aires-based radio outlet 'El Observador,' he stated unequivocally: "Just like previous matches, I will continue watching all games from my official residence, Olivos."

When asked if he was staying at home due to superstitious reasons, President Milei revealed: "Although the residence is cold, I do not turn on the heating at all. Instead, I wear a thick jacket bearing the brand of a specific oil company." He added, "During the Switzerland match, I took off the jacket because it was too hot, and immediately afterward, we conceded a goal in an eerily precise manner. Startled, I put the jacket back on and have not taken it off since even once."

It is known that not only President Milei but also most Argentine citizens maintain their own unique 'cavala' routines whenever the team is on a winning streak. Some wear the exact same jersey throughout the entire World Cup without ever washing it, while others watch matches only from precisely the same spot in their homes. There even exists an absurd rule: if someone happens to be in the bathroom at the exact moment Argentina scores, they must remain outside the bathroom for the rest of the match to avoid bad luck.

In fact, Argentine presidents have long been wary of directly attending major World Cup matches involving the national team. During the 1990 Italy World Cup, then-President Carlos Menem visited the national team just before the tournament opened to offer encouragement, but Argentina suffered a historic upset by losing 0-1 to Cameroon in their opening match.

Following this, President Menem was branded with the scarlet letter 'Mupa,' meaning a massive ominous sign bringing misfortune. Due to this curse, an unusual tradition has been strictly maintained to this day: no sitting Argentine president has ever appeared at the venue of a World Cup match involving the national team.

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*This content was translated by AI.