Moscow: Some players believe World Cup success is earned through exercise, diet and endless practice drills – others are convinced it’s a matter of wearing lucky underwear.
Players and coaches can be a superstitious bunch and often have a ritual or item of clothing they believe is a charm that has contributed to a winning run.
They range from former Colombian keeper Rene Higuita’s insistence on wearing blue underpants to current German striker Mario Gomez’s habit of only using the far-left urinal to relieve himself before a match.
Gomez’s Germany teammate Julian Draxler gives himself a splash of scent before a big match. “Sometimes my teammates ask me if I’m not right in the head,” the PSG midfielder said.
“Every player has a ritual before a match and I usually hold my bag in my locker and I throw on two or three sprays of perfume. It gives me a feeling of happiness,” added the midfielder.
England’s Dele Alli is using the same shin guards he has worn since childhood when he plays in Russia, hoping they bring the good fortune that has long eluded the Three Lions at international tournaments.
“I’ve had the same shinpads since I was 11. They are battered (but) I am very superstitious,” the Tottenham midfielder told Fifa.com.
Some players such as England’s Phil Jones do not like stepping on white lines, while Brazil defender Marcelo always runs onto the pitch right foot first. The habit is so ingrained that during training in Rostov-on-Don he left the pitch and re-entered after realising he had accidentally led with his left foot.
“Everybody likes to enter with the right foot, right? I’m no different,” he laughed when quizzed by reporters.
Morocco coach Herve Renard has worn a white shirt on the sidelines since he took Zambia to a surprise victory at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012. He is doing so again in Russia, although it has not proved so lucky this time as Morocco will be heading home after the group stages.