Nine weird superstitions used in football
Talent on the field and dedication is all it takes for a player to make it big in the world of football right? Wrong. Superstitions and voodoo have all been believed to have been used by players to help them win games and score goals. Could it be that magic and the supernatural is involved on the field?
Here are some of the wildest ways people used magic or superstition to win a football game...so if you ever need some help, these are the untraditional ways to make your team win.
1. Sergio Javier Goycochea
Urine. That’s it. That’s the luck. Imagine seeing a man urinating in front of THOUSANDS right before penalty kicks. Sounds pretty ridiculous but it seemed to work well for the Argentina squad in the 1990 World Cup until it didn’t…
- Giovanni Trapattoni
HOLY JESUS. If all things fail, rely on the higher supreme being right? This Italian coach decided to carry holy water with him to the pitch every time. I mean you can’t go wrong with God?! Time to get yourself water from God himself.
3. Gary Lineker
Honestly this one may not be too far fetched. Have you ever stopped yourself from practicing certain things so that you wouldn’t waste the good throws, hoops, or strikes? Well that’s exactly what Lineker did, by avoiding shooting a goal during practice, no good goal was thrown to waste.
4. Laurent Blanc
There’s just something about aging, shiny, balding heads that just makes everyone want to rub it. Maybe it's the resemblance to Buddha’s belly which is known for good luck?? Whatever the reason, Blanc decided to make it a pre-game ritual to kiss Fabien Barthez’s head during the 1998 World Cup. Must’ve worked because Les Bleues would end up as World Champs. Recommendation: Kiss all the bald heads on your team.
- Winfried Schafer
This Cameroon coach went as far as messing with voodoo with the intention of making the charm on the field BUT was arrested before successfully doing so. I mean if your team needs voodoo maybe the squad actually suck? Just a thought.
- Romeo Ancontetani
From 1978 to 1994, the President of Italy’s AC Pisa Club fully believed that the answer to winning games was salt. He relied on this salty method so much that he once threw 26 kilos of salt in hopes of winning.
- Tony Sylva
During an African Cup of Nations Tournament, this goalkeeper for Senegal was confronted for hiring a witch doctor to make a magic ointment. What happened next? No goals went in for 5 games.
- Raymond Domenech
It’s said that this French coach believed in the powers of the stars to select his squad. If the stars weren’t aligned right, he would drop them says speculation.
- Real Madrid
Hala Madrid! It’s hard to believe that there was a time before RM were known as the champs they are today. At one point in time, they didn’t win a single match for a total of 5 years! The squad was so desperate that they buried garlic in the middle of the field. Somehow they won Copa del Rey that season, so it worked? Next time, make sure to get hang a piece of garlic on a necklace for that extra luck
Voodoo, urine, and bald heads may have worked… but how about relying on something better like dedication, hard work, and ACTUAL football skills! You know what’s even better, it’ll get girls coming your way. Want to hear more about witchcraft in football? Check out the "I put a spell on Real Madrid and they almost lost." episode of the Way of Will John podcast. Spread the juju around.
