Argentina face Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday evening, with one notable figure set to be missing from the stands at MetLife Stadium — the South American nation’s president, Javier Milei, has decided not to attend the showpiece event for a bizarre reason.

Lionel Scaloni’s men booked their place in the final by beating England in dramatic circumstances on Wednesday in Atlanta. The Three Lions led La Albiceleste until the 85th minute, before a long-range effort from Enzo Fernandez and a header from Lautaro Martinez turned the game on its head at the death.

The reigning world champions will meet La Roja in the final, after Luis de la Fuente’s side knocked tournament favourites France out of the competition in Dallas on Tuesday.

Argentina will be bidding to add a fourth star to their shirts, but they’ll do so without the support of their country’s political leader in New Jersey.

Argentina’s President Won’t Be at World Cup Final

Typically, the primary political figures of the countries involved in the World Cup final will attend the game. They’ll be situated in a hospitality seat, alongside the leader of the host nation.

US President Donald Trump reportedly invited Milei to watch the match with him in New Jersey, but the Argentine respectfully declined.

While Spanish President Pedro Sanchez is expected to be in attendance at MetLife, his Argentine counterpart has revealed that he won’t be, out of superstition.

“No way [will he attend],” Milei told El Observador, a local Buenos Aires radio station (via talkSPORT).

The South American politician has watched all seven previous games at his presidential residence in Quinta de Olivos in the northern region of Argentina’s capital city, and he plans to watch the final at the same venue.

“I’m going to keep watching all the games from Olivos,” he said.

Argentina Presidents Historically Don’t Attend World Cup Matches

Argentina’s Lionel Messi via REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli

While some might laugh at Milei’s superstitious behaviour, it’s a long-running theme with Argentine presidents and the World Cup.

In 1990, former President Carlos Menem visited La Albiceleste squad just before they suffered a shock opening loss against Cameroon. They bounced back from this disappointing result to reach the final, which they eventually lost to West Germany.

However, the damage was done for Menem and Argentine presidents for years to come. The then-president was dubbed a jinx, and no sitting Argentine president has since attended a single national team game — or at least their attendance hasn’t been publicly documented.

More generally, many Argentinian people are superstitious, with ritualistic beliefs and habits a core part of their culture, particularly when it comes to following the men’s national team.

Legendary striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has named his top five greatest footballers of all time, with Cristiano Ronaldo snubbed entirely and Lionel Messi not being placed at the top of the list.

Ibrahimovic enjoyed a stellar career himself, scoring well over 500 goals for club and country. He celebrated successful stints at Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United before retiring in 2023.

Despite enjoying this illustrious goal-scoring career and developing a reputation for having an abundance of self-belief, the Swede didn’t pick himself in his top five players to ever grace the planet.

Instead, he opted to cause a stir by leaving out a handful of big names, including Ronaldo and Brazilian legend Pele.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic Names Ronaldo Nazario as His Greatest Player of All Time

REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

The debate around who the best footballer ever is often centres around the likes of Messi, Diego Maradona, Pele, Cristiano Ronaldo and even Johan Cruyff.

However, for Ibrahimovic, who likes to be outspoken and voice avant-garde takes, the best player of all time is Ronaldo Nazario. Speaking to GQ, the 44-year-old named the Brazil legend as the greatest player he’s ever seen grace the pitch.

“Number one. My idol is Ronaldo the Phenomenon,” Ibrahimovic said.

“For me, he was just something else. I look up to him and I try to copy him. Nobody was like him.”

Ronaldo had an outstanding career, winning countless trophies with Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid. He also won two World Cups with Brazil, first in 1994 and then again in 2002, as well as two Copa Americas.

The striker’s performances were also recognised individually. He was named FIFA World Player of the Year on three occasions, and he also collected two Ballon d’Or awards.

While many would pick several other greats ahead of him, Ronaldo was undoubtedly one of the greatest forwards of his generation.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi via REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli

Messi is on the cusp of winning his second World Cup, and Ibrahimovic played alongside the Argentine for Barcelona between 2009 and 2011. Thus, it would’ve been some statement for the Sweden legend to leave the playmaker out of his top five, and unsurprisingly, he didn’t.

Ibrahimovic named the rest of his top five in a group together, not specifically declaring what order they’d come in. “Then I would put Maradona, [Zinedine] Zidane, Messi obviously, [Marco] van Basten,” he said.

Maradona is regularly cited as one of the greatest players to ever do it, with his mazy dribbling and creative passing carrying Argentina to the 1986 World Cup.

Zinedine Zidane and Marco van Basten were perhaps slightly more unexpected inclusions. The former was one of the outstanding playmakers of his generation, dominating for Juventus and Real Madrid for over a decade, while the latter’s exploits with Ajax and AC Milan will never be forgotten.

Tottenham Hotspur have been extremely active in the summer transfer window already, with six new players arriving in north London to revolutionise Roberto De Zerbi‘s squad.

The Italian head coach has bolstered his goalkeeping options with the free transfer of Martin Dubravka, the defence with Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson and the midfield with Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes.

And more are set to follow, with De Zerbi now turning his attentions to the forward line, with the likes of Savinho, Rafael Leao and Eli Kroupi Junior all linked with move to N17.

Seven players have already departed Tottenham

However, a major overhaul of the playing squad requires departures too and Yves Bissouma, Alejo Veliz, Alfie Devine, Radu Dragusin, Luka Vuskovic, Joao Palhinha (end of loan) and Randal Kolo Muani (end of loan) have all gone from last season’s squad.

Vuskovic was the big sale from those, with Brighton agreeing a £46million deal for the teenage defender who had never played a game for Tottenham, but had huge potential to be a star.

Now, Tottenham look set to say goodbye to another highly-rated young player in Lucas Bergvall.

The Swede was signed for just £8.5million from Djurgardens two years ago and enjoyed a clean sweep of the club’s player of the season awards in his first season in England in 2024/25, shining in a stuttering Spurs side.

Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League, but lifted the UEFA Europa League trophy, with Bergvall showing more senior stars how it’s done in a difficult campaign.

With three different managers at the helm during 2025/26, Bergvall, previously described as “unstoppable” by former Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, struggled to tie down a regular place in the starting lineup and is now looking to move on in search of more game time, particularly after seeing the club splash out £185million on two players in his position in Tonali and Fernandes.

Newcastle enter race to sign Lucas Bergvall

via Reuters

Speaking on his YouTube channel, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano delivered an update on Bergvall’s future. Nottingham Forest have already seen a £38million bid rejected, while Newcastle have now entered the race and also had a £46million offer turned down.

Romano said: “Lucas Bergvall from Tottenham is expected to leave the club this summer. Bergvall has told Tottenham he wants to play on a regular basis, he’s ready to take a different step and leaving Tottenham this summer is something he has to do, according to the player, because he wants to play and at Tottenham, the feeling of the boy is that after signing Mateus Fernandes, Sandro Tonali and they’re not going to play European football, he does not want to spend the season on the bench or playing ten minutes every two weeks.

“So for Bergvall, there’s been a bid from Nottingham Forest, talks with Newcastle and both clubs are working for Lucas Bergvall, both clubs are in contact.

“There is a conversation ongoing with both clubs, the situation with Lucas Bergvall is one to watch.”

There are expected to be more departures from Spurs, alongside Bergvall, with Cristian Romero also expected to leave the club. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is also set to leave, while there are question marks over the likes of Richarlison, Pape Matar Sarrnand some of the younger players in north London.