Jordan’s goal to pull one back in the final group stage match accidentally helped Argentina avoid a “curse” that has haunted World Cup champions throughout history.
On the morning of June 28, despite letting Jordan breach their net in the 3-1 victory in the final matchday of Group J at the 2026 World Cup, the Argentina team is viewed by many fans as having avoided a bad omen that has existed throughout the history of the tournament.
Prior to the clash against Jordan, coach Lionel Scaloni’s squad had secured an early ticket to the next round and were guaranteed to top the group following two victories against Algeria and Austria. The “Albiceleste” had also not conceded a single goal, and were even rarely threatened by opponents creating dangerous opportunities.
However, in the 55th minute, Mousa Al-Tamari rushed in to finish from close range, reducing the deficit to 1-2 for Jordan. That was also Argentina’s first conceded goal at the 2026 World Cup.
According to statistics recalled by Argentine media, no team in history has ever been crowned World Cup champions while keeping a clean sheet throughout the entire group stage. Therefore, the fact that Argentina conceded a goal against Jordan is considered by many football lovers and those who believe in spiritual elements to be a positive signal rather than a cause for concern.
In their opening match against Algeria, Argentina once escaped conceding when the opponent was denied a goal due to an offside error. That helped the South American team maintain their clean sheet streak until before the encounter with Jordan.
Nevertheless, Argentina still has to face another “curse”. Coach Scaloni’s team entered the 2026 World Cup as number one in the FIFA rankings. In history, no national team has ever won the World Cup when starting the tournament at the top of these rankings.
Not only Argentina, the France team was also mentioned with an unlucky statistic. The Tango media pointed out that no Ballon d’Or winner has ever won the World Cup championship during the same period.
This year, Ousmane Dembele is the player currently holding that noble individual title, causing “Les Bleus” to also be placed alongside another “curse” ahead of the knockout stage.
