Argentina president Javier Milei explains superstitious reason behind refusal to attend World Cup final against Spain

Argentine president Milei has surprisingly chosen not to attend the 2026 World Cup final between his nation and Spain in New York. While global political figures and FIFA dignitaries prepare to pack out the stadium, Milei opted to remain in Buenos Aires to protect a unique routine. The 55-year-old leader refused to fly to the United States to avoid jinxing La Albiceleste's winning streak, having seen them win all seven of their previous matches during the tournament.

The politician harbours extreme superstitions. Beyond insisting on isolating himself at his official residence, the Argentine head of state revealed that he has worn the exact same jacket during every match, bar a few deeply regretted minutes against Switzerland when La Albiceleste conceded an equaliser to draw 1-1, before eventually securing a 3-1 win after extra time.

Speaking to local radio station El Observador, Milei insisted: "No way. I will continue to watch all the matches from Olivos. As it's cold and I don't turn on the heating, I wear a jacket with the colours of an oil company. On the day of the Switzerland match, I felt very hot. I took it off, and we conceded a goal. I put it back on, and I haven't taken it off since."

Milei’s deep anxiety over the hex aligns with a lengthy history of Argentine heads of state shunning crucial fixtures to avoid being branded a jinx, or mufa. This national tradition dates back to Carlos Menem’s tenure during the 1990 World Cup, when his locker room visit preceded Argentina's humiliating opening-day defeat to Cameroon. Since that dark moment, not a single sitting Argentine president has dared to set foot in a stadium hosting a decisive national team fixture.

Argentina enter the grand finale against Spain, boasting an incredible run of 14 consecutive victories across all competitions. However, the reigning world champions face a stern examination from an aggressive La Roja side, which is itself undefeated in its last 17 outings.

Lionel Messi, who leads the tournament's goalscoring charts with eight goals alongside Kylian Mbappe, must breach a stubborn Spanish defence to retain the crown without the president's backing in the stadium.