Football News: Football Player's Superstitions

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I was thinking about soccer / football player's superstitions; I know there are many, so I have compiled a number of them from various pieces i have read and wanted to share them with interested football enthusiasts.

Paul Ince would never put his shirt on in the dressing room. This kind of defeats the name of the room.

The enigma that is Phil Jones; He puts on his right sock first when they have an away match and puts on the left sock first when they have a match at home.

Bobby Moore was last on with his shorts.

Gary Lineker refused to shoot at goal during the warm-up.

Rio Ferdinand steps over the white line on to the pitch and so does his brother, Anton. They must have watched Jack Nicholson in 'As Good As it Gets' too many times.

Laurent Blanc would kiss the bald head of goalkeeper Fabien Barthez before playing for France.

Cesc Fabregas kisses his ring gifted by his girlfriend (he must have missed all the other subtle signals) four times before each match.

Malvin Kamara played for the likes of MK Dons, Cardiff City Wimbledon, Port Vale, Huddersfield Town and other teams, and before every game he watches the 1971 film, Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory. He claims it gives him luck and calms his nerves. Thank goodness it wasn't The Lord of the Rings trilogy, otherwise he may never make it onto the pitch.

Johan Cruyff always spat his chewing gum out in the opposition half, which I personally think is a better ritual than him slapping his goalkeeper before a match.

Apparently, Emlyn Hughes never wore a long-sleeved shirt after Liverpool lost the 1971 FA Cup final - Seems more of an excuse than a ritual.

Ed001's favourite player - Neymar says he always talks to his dad (unless Cantona has him locked in a basement somewhere) before a match because his dad's voice soothes him.

Sergio Goycochea urinates on the pitch before a penalty shootout, a 'lucky' ritual he discovered by accident against Yugoslavia and practiced since.

Arsenal F.C. once started the second half of a Champions League match with nine men, because Kolo Toure had to be the last player on to the field and William Gallas was delayed.

Luis Suarez kisses (Not bites) his wedding ring and then his wrist after every goal he scores for both club and country. This is because on his wrist he has a tattoo with the names of his children and not because he used those wrists to deny Ghana and Africa their very 1st World Cup semi-final spot.

Thibaut Courtois said, "I go to the bathroom, I take a picture of me on the potty and I send it to four friends in Belgium". Maybe Real Madrid locking their bathrooms prematch, would explain his current form.

I will end this with an article you guys should read, about A Zimbabwean football coach who sent his squad to a crocodile infested river.

Written by mbd April 25 2019 14:19:32