BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 18 (dpa/EP) –
The Argentine president, Alberto Fernández, will watch the final of the World Cup in Qatar between France and Argentina on his home screen, after giving up, out of superstition, going to the Lusail Stadium to witness it in person.
“Like millions of compatriots, I will enjoy the World Cup final at home. I will experience this fantastic moment as I have up to now, together with my people. The best of ours will be on the field and glorious fans will be in the stands. In addition , cabals are cabals,” Fernández wrote on Twitter before Sunday’s game.
Behind it there is a long tradition of Argentine heads of state who, after the defeat of the South Americans 1-0 against Cameroon in the 1990 World Cup in Italy, preferred not to attend the Albiceleste matches. That World Cup was played in the presence of the then president Carlos Menem, who earned the fame of ‘mufa’, that is, jinxed.
Fernández was in contact with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron. “Dear friend, I appreciate you very much and I wish you the best for the future. Except for Sunday. Argentina is my wonderful country,” he replied to Macron in an exchange with the future president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. If Argentina wins, Latin America wins, said Fernández.