Rituals. Supernatural forces. Macumba. Witchcraft.
Do you believe all of this or part of it? If so, do you believe they can have a specific influence on football?
I don’t have the knowledge to delve deeper into specific phenomena or practices, but I know that they exist and that, yes, they are close to the gaming world.
See the Malian born in Côte d’Ivoire Éric Chelle, 48. Coach of the national team in Nigeria, blamed the use of voodoo, by a member of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s staff, for the defeat on penalties (4 to 3) that took away from the Nigerians the chance of going to the 2026 World Cup.
When I came across this statement, and I am skeptical of unorthodox practices (religious or not) to obtain results or achieve goals, I immediately remembered a drawing of Pica-Pau, my favorite animation character, in which he, the target of a ritual carried out by Zé Jacaré (in search of an ornithic meal), quipped: “Vodou is for jacu”.
The jacu is perhaps a less astute bird than the Woodpecker, who with this speech sent the message that the mystical practice – using a personalized doll that would obey the sorcerer’s order – would not work for him: it was nonsense, a belief, foolishness.
The voodoo cited by Chelle was not this, but another type: gestures made on the edge of the field including the manipulation of a liquid (possibly water), with the supposed intention of making DR Congo triumph in maximum penalties with the help of spirits.
The Nigeria coach was angry, but there is nothing in football rules that prohibits rituals that do not demonstrably interfere with the game.
What happened will join the list of reports of curious facts, whether true or legendary, that have accumulated in football history, involving superstitious, heretical and fabulous attitudes.
A much talked about narrative is that of the frog buried in Parque São Jorge, the Corinthians stadium that is located within the club in the east of São Paulo. The presence there of the (never seen) amphibian was attributed to the team’s long title drought (23 years), only ending in 1977, when a pai de santo unearthed the cururu.
Nobody saw someone bury the frog, nobody saw the frog being dug up. But so much was said that it took on the appearance of truth.
Here’s another one from football folklore, this time involving the Australian team.
In the 1970 World Cup qualifiers, the Socceroos went to Africa to face Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) on neutral ground (Mozambique). Australia had wide favoritism, but drew twice with their opponents.
Before the play-off game, the Australians are said to have resorted to mysticism: they hired a healer who placed a curse on the Rhodesian team. It worked, and the Oceania team advanced by winning 3-1.
But the spell had a financial value, not paid by the contractor. Dissatisfied with the default, the sorcerer reversed the curse, launching it against Australia. In the next and decisive knockout round, a few days later, they succumbed to Israel, leaving them out of the World Cup.
There is still another case worth mentioning, in Argentina.
In the early 1980s, Estudiantes was coached by Carlos Bilardo (who would win the 1986 World Cup with Argentina). There was a young fan of the team, called Juan Carlos Kiricocho, who was considered unlucky: every time he showed up at the team’s training session, a player was injured.
Bilardo then decided to use his cold spell to his advantage. On game days, he integrated him into the squad and took him to greet his opponents, “transferring” the misfortune to them. With Kiricocho as an amulet, Estudiantes won the 1982 Argentine Championship.
There is no documented material that proves the existence of such a fan, however Bilardo reportedly said that “Kiricocho was a boy from La Plata who was always with us”.
This is another cabalistic episode that appears in the football anecdote.
These are stories that have their own flavor and that have had a psychological influence on those inclined to believe them. Other delightful ones will come and have a cognate effect. It is seeing (or reading) to believe – or to disbelieve.
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