Kissing shin guards, wearing special medallions, burning incense and eating sweets are some of the superstitious rituals players from Spain and Argentina are likely to perform before Sunday’s World Cup final in search of an extra edge.
Many of these practices became habits after players associated them with major victories, while others have been part of their routine since long before the tournament. Several have already appeared during the 2026 World Cup.
Here are some of the reported good-luck rituals that players from Spain and Argentina will turn to before the biggest match of all.
Spain
Marc Cucurella: Four kisses for his family
Before putting on his shin guards for each match of the tournament, defender Marc Cucurella kisses them four times.
They carry a photograph of him and his partner, Claudia Rodriguez, and their two children, with one kiss for each family member.
Spanish newspaper El Desmarque reported the practice earlier in the tournament.
Ferran Torres: Shark shin guards for El Tiburon
Striker Ferran Torres is known as El Tiburon, or The Shark, and he takes the nickname seriously. So much so that he wears shark-themed shin guards given to him by a supporter.
“The shark guards were a gift from a fan in exchange for a shirt,” Torres told the Spanish football federation website in 2024. “When I saw them, I loved them. Mine were already worn out, so I put these on and they have been bringing me luck.”
Argentina
Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez: Palo santo and visualisation
Argentina’s team spirit is displayed on and off the pitch by defenders Lisandro Martinez and Cristian Romero.
Their ritual began at the team’s base during the victorious 2022 World Cup campaign. According to Spanish publication Infobae, the duo would burn palo santo, a South American wood renowned for mystical qualities, allowing the smoke to travel through their room while meditating and visualising Argentina winning the tournament.
Rodrigo De Paul and Leandro Paredes: Sweets at the centre circle
One of Argentina’s most visible rituals is also among its simplest.
Before a big match, midfielders Rodrigo De Paul and Leandro Paredes walk towards the centre circle while eating sweets and talking.
The pair followed the same routine during Argentina’s successful 2021 Copa America and 2022 World Cup campaigns. Argentine broadcaster TyC Sports reported before this tournament that the ritual had been carried over from their victorious run in Qatar.
Emiliano Martinez: A family amulet and a familiar haircut
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, whose performances helped drive Argentina to victory at the 2022 World Cup, has arrived at stadiums during this tournament wearing a medallion containing an image of his wife and their two children.
Infobae also reported that before facing Cape Verde during the current tournament, Martinez repeated the haircut featuring the colours of the Argentine flag, which he first sported during the knockout rounds of the 2022 World Cup.
Alexis Mac Allister: His mother’s tracksuit and a pre-match journal
The rituals surrounding midfielder Alexis Mac Allister extend from the family home to the team hotel.
Argentine broadcaster Todo Noticias reported that his mother wears the same white tailored suit and trainers whenever she watches her son play, a practice she has maintained since Argentina’s victorious 2022 World Cup campaign.
Mac Allister, in turn, takes to his journal before important matches. Speaking to La Nacion in 2024, he described writing as a source of calm.
“There I find a little peace,” he said. “I start writing and feel that it helps me enormously.”
