GLOBAL – Most football fans cross their fingers or wear their favorite shirts for luck, but some fans have resorted to much crazier things in the hopes of somehow cosmically sending their team to victory.
In its Truth About Fans study, set to be revealed in the coming weeks, McCann Truth Central discovered some of the most interesting good luck rituals adopted by fans around the world.
“Some rituals are global, such as wearing a lucky jersey and sitting in the same seat for all matches, but some of the more unique rituals remind us how different and complex cultures are around the world today.” McCann said.
“We found rituals could be religiously driven, nostalgic, or even akin to ancient symbolic rites,” it added.
In World Cup-winning Germany, the pre-match ritual of choice isn’t too outlandish: they consult animal psychics such as the late Paul the Octopus or Nelly the Elephant.
Meanwhile in second-placer Argentina, fans listen to songs and wear jerseys from 1986–the year the country last won the World Cup, and had what is perhaps its most legendary World Cup run ever, with then-captain Diego Maradona scoring his famous “Hand of God” goal (using his hand) in a game against England.
Food and drink come into play in several countries. In Saudi Arabia, some fans eat two dates before the game begins. In the Philippines, they eat chicken hearts instead. At the same time, in Brazil, they place a full glass of water on top of their television, and in the United Kingdom, they only ever drink from their lucky pint glass.
Other rituals have to do with clothing: in Panama, they never wear the team jersey the day before the game, while in South Africa, they embellish their makarapa hats elaborately and hold on to their vuvuzelas.
The rituals get even stranger: Some fans from El Salvador believe that rubbing a bald man’s head can bring luck; fans in Turkey dress their pet up in a team jersey and “pet it at critical moments,” while in Uruguay, they “tie a series of knots in a handkerchief while chanting ‘Poncio Pilatos la cola te ato.'”
McCann Truth Central’s Truth About Fans covered 26 countries around the world. The full research will talk about not just the fans’ good luck rituals, but also about their attitudes towards football and the World Cup.
