The FIFA World Cup has been known for some of its unique superstitions despite the kind of professionalism shown in the field. Managers and players have been clear about not risking anything in their patterns to success in the games. It may seem trivial to the fans or the viewers watching the game but the teams will make sure that no stone is unturned. Although superstitions are often looked upon as mere illogical beliefs, players believe that these kinds of practices will help them achieve the desired results. Across the years, there have been many such incidents regarding superstitions and here are the 5 biggest superstitions in FIFA World Cup history:
1) Laurent Blanc kissing Fabien Barthez’s bald head in 1998
During France's campaign in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, the French defender Laurent Blanc used to follow a strict ritual of kissing the bald head of Fabien Barthez. The entire side believed that this practice had brought them luck and success in the tournament. As the side kept on winning, the teammates also joined in on the practice along with Blanc. Even though Laurent Blanc was suspended for the Final, he showed up just to kiss his bald head and they ended up winning against Brazil by 3-0.
2)Sergio Goycochea’s penalty shootout routine
During the 1990 World Cup, Argentina’s goalkeeper Nery Pumpido was injured and their back-up goalkeeper, Sergio Goycochea went on to become the hero for the side. His performance in the penalty shootouts helped the Argentina side win the quarter-finals and semi-finals. During the game against Yugoslavia, Sergio urinated on the pitch prior to the penalty shootout as players aren’t allowed to leave the field during the game. He continued the practice in the following game as well, stating that the routine was his lucky charm.
3)Iker Casillas and the inside-out socks
The former Spanish captain Iker Casillas had a historic triumph in the 2010 FIFA World Cup as they won the trophy but a certain practice from the captain had caught the attention of the media. Whenever Spain seemed like they were losing the game or in need of luck, Casillas used to remove his socks and wear them inside-out to bring good luck. The adjustment paid dividends as he conceded just two goals in the entire campaign including a splendid save against Arjen Robben in the Finals.
4) Pelé and the "Returned" lucky jersey
Despite Pele being hailed as one of the greatest players in the game, the element of luck did matter to him a lot in his game. During a certain game for Santos, he gave away his jersey to a fan and since then he experienced a dip in form. Pele correlated this phenomena to giving away his jersey and hired a private detective to hunt the fan down and reclaim the jersey. The detective gave him his jersey back and then Pele reached his prime form to help Brazil win the title in 1970. In fact, the returned jersey wasn’t the same one and the psychological factor is what led to Pele’s good run of form later on.
5) England’s mandatory 1966 pre-match shave
In the 1996 FIFA World Cup, England’s manager Alf Ramsey decided to maintain a strict routine and level of discipline throughout the tournament. Captain Bobby Moore and his players believed that they had to go into every match with a clean shaven look to have the luck factor favouring them. Along with this ritual, the players didn’t even swap shirts till the last game and the routine was never violated. The grooming lock-in held all the way to Wembley, where England secured their first and only World Cup title.
