A “cabala" is a ritual, an act of hope we do strongly believing that if we do it, something we

really want to happen, will do or that the result of something of great importance for us will be
successful.

Particularly in the world of football, Argentineans are deeply “CABULEROS", for example we
wear an amulet, watch the match sat in the same place, with the same people or wear the
same clothes as we did in revious winning matches.

“Cábalas” are so important in football that there is evem a book “Cábalas de fútbol” de Ricardo
Gotta. The author suggests that football does not depend only on strategies, tactical plans,
ideas or goals but also on the strength of invisible powers.

Football depends on luck but also on a strong influence of superstitions and cábalas. The
“futbolero" (either fan, player or coach) wants to convince himself that if he respects aa series
of rituals, results will be successful, although they know those rituals lack scientific value.

We do whatever needed to encourage our team. Between the most famous cábalas, there is
one from Italy World Cup 1990, where Goicoechea, the argentinean goalkeeper used to pee tje
goal before a penalty.