Lucknow: As the FIFA World Cup 2026 final gripped the city, fans carried more than flags and jerseys, they carried their own rituals and beliefs. From not washing a lucky jersey throughout the tournament to wearing it inside out on the biggest night, superstitions became a memorable fan story beyond the final whistle.Spain ended a 16-year wait to lift the FIFA World Cup trophy late Monday night, defeating defending champions Argentina 1-0, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive winner in the 106th minute.From sticking to the same seat, keeping the remote in a fixed position and refusing to change phone wallpapers, fans followed their own set of superstitions. Along with these familiar routines, several supporters had unique and quirky todkaas that they believed kept Spain’s winning run alive.Spanish fan Raghav Sharma said, “I did not wash my Argentina jersey throughout the tournament because every time I wore it, the team won. I know it sounds strange but I was not ready to take any risk before the final.”Another fan, Aditya Verma, said that he wore the jersey normally during all previous matches. “For the final, I thought something different was needed. Argentina was a dangerous team and it worked—they did not even have a shot on goal for 90 minutes. The jersey got a new style and a new luck factor too.”“After watching Spain draw their first game, I started watching every match on mute. Once, during the match against Belgium, I unmuted the commentary and Spain conceded their only goal of the tournament, which convinced me the superstition was working,” said Rahul Srivastava.Another fan, Aarav Mehta, said that throughout the tournament, he used the same FC Barcelona logo water bottle during every hydration break. “Fans often develop small rituals because they feel these actions give them some control over the outcome. When a team wins after a particular routine, the brain connects the two events and strengthens the belief, even though there may be no actual connection between the ritual and the result,” said clinical psychologist Anjali Kapoor.
