The confessions of a superstitious football fan

It’s that time of the year again, World Cup time. Of course, aside from all the football that is being played, and the excitement that it brings, a World Cup is often synonymous with joyful mood. With all the action taking place, many people gather around, and watch matches together, and this engenders a certain feeling of camaraderie, and togetherness.

What it also engenders is crazy behaviour. All of us have memories of World Cup games, and memories of ourselves during these games as much as of the games themselves. How many haven’t talked to their friends about what they were doing during the last World Cup, or what they said during England’s shootout loss to Germany in Italia 90. Everyone remembers where they were when Owen scored ‘that’ goal. People can never stop discussing their reactions to Ronaldinho’s goal in 2002, and the Rooney red card of 2006.

One very memorable type of reaction during matches is superstition. Before you channel your inner Dawkins and begin to laugh at me, think back very carefully, and without bias, to all the crazy things you’ve done to ensure your team does well. Sat in one place for the duration of the entire match? Of course you have. Worn a particular colour t-shirt to help your team’s chances? Do not deny it.

Well don’t fret, you’re not crazy, and even if you are, you’re certainly not alone. Tombola have done some research and found that 88% of the people in the UK have at least one superstitious belief. A lot of people across the United Kingdom have a lot of different superstitions, and a lot of these are on show during the World Cup, especially in the midlands. West Midlands, and East Midlands are the two most superstitious regions in the UK, with 42% and 41% being superstitious in those areas. So does that mean where you live determines you’re level of superstition? This survey certainly throws up some interesting facts. And what about today? How many England supporters are thankful that their game against Italy isn’t on Friday the 13th? Well about 7 in 10 people have superstitions about Friday the 13th, so a lot!

And that doesn’t even cover all the fuss we make about shirt numbers. The number 10, and the number 7 receive an inordinate amount of attention. Think of how worked up all of us got when Michael Owen, or Antonio Valencia took the number 7 shirt at Manchester United. Think of the worldwide obsession with the number 10 jersey, and it’s occupant. In Brazil pretty much everyone who cares about football has something to say about Neymar, the current incumbent of the 10. This number isn’t free from the clutches of the past either, with constant comparisons to, and opinions from the likes of Pele and Zico, who wore that shirt with great distinction before Neymar. That’s a Brazilian perspective, from a UK perspective though, it’s all about the 7. With the likes of Best having adorned this kit in the past, it always is the subject of debate. Unsurprisingly, stats reveal that, 1 in 5 think 7 is a lucky number for them, making 7 the most popular ‘lucky number’.

These superstitions aren’t restricted to just the supporters. Players too tend to depend on factors other than their footballing ability to help them through the game. Star strikers we’ve seen prefer to leave the tunnel last, while others prefer to enter the pitch with their shooting foot first. Luis Suarez always kisses the tattoo of his son and daughter, while Cesc Fabregas gives exactly four kisses to the ring given to him by his girlfriend (4 is also his shirt number), listening to music is another ritual possibly to calm nerves but developed into a superstitious habit.

So as Mexico, Cameroon, Spain, Netherlands, Chile & Australia head out for their first games of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, an all important game, they might just consider their superstitious beliefs as a reason for possible failure. Spain for example, have usually failed to win their first game of the World Cup. If that occurs again, is it down to footballing reasons? Or will an ‘external’ factor be at play? Certainly one or two fans will think so.