Many refuse to mention the names of their opponents, wear the same shirts that are often unwashed, sit in the same seats, and eat the same meals before every match, convinced that changing anything might harm the team’s chances of winning another title.

“My friends and I have a special ritual that we follow,” said 13-year-old Ines Mutri. “We write the names of the star player and the goalkeeper on the same paper and freeze them in the refrigerator.” She added: “This time we will freeze Kane because he is the top scorer.”

In a country where football inspires a devotion bordering on religious obsession, rituals give them a sense of control over an outcome that ultimately remains beyond their influence.

These traditions are deeply entrenched. Carlos Bilardo, the coach who led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title, was famous for complex myths such as determining the order in which players enter the field, which helped establish the “Cabbalas” in the country.
Folklore of Argentine football.
Even current coach Lionel Scaloni acknowledged his own ritual, during the tournament: I enter the field with my right foot and draw the trinity.”

Some habits develop over time. During this year’s World Cup, fans shared AI-generated images on social media showing opposition players frozen inside blocks of ice, a symbolic way
To prevent dangerous opponents from moving, scoring, or making tackles. The idea moved into reality. 18-year-old student Juan Pablo Calvo said he plans to freeze Jude Bellingham’s name because he considers him a “tremendous player”, even though he remains confident in Argentina.
The match revives one of the most historic clashes in international football This match recreates one of international football’s most iconic clashes, from Diego Maradona’s hand-goal in 1986 to a series of unforgettable knockout encounters.

For the semi-final, Calvo wears a shirt similar to the one Maradona wore in the 1986 World Cup, when Argentina lifted the title. Although Messi has already won every trophy there is to win, this is a special opportunity because he has never faced England in a match like this, let alone in the semi-finals, Calvo said.

Other fans say repetition is the most important kabbalah: once Argentina wins, every detail of the day must be repeated in the next match: the same people, the same seat, the same shirt and, if possible, the same meal. Mutri watches the match with eight friends wearing the same hats.

She said: “I feel like the match against England will be nerve-wracking, like all the other matches. But it will be good. It will be fun.