Argentina will wear their dark blue away kit against England in the 2026 World Cup semi-final in Atlanta after FIFA approved a special request from the Argentine Football Association (AFA). The South Americans consider the kit lucky due to its association with historic victories over England.
Origin of the Superstition
The dark blue kit first gained its reputation during the 1986 World Cup quarter-final in Mexico City. Diego Maradona scored both his controversial 'Hand of God' goal and the spectacular 'Goal of the Century' wearing that colour, securing a 2-1 victory over England. The kit itself was a last-minute replacement; the original away shirts were deemed too heavy for the heat, so coaching staff rushed to a local market in Tepito to buy cheap, lightweight blue shirts. Maradona reportedly blessed them, saying: "With this, we'll beat England."
1998 Reinforces the Luck
The superstition was reinforced at the 1998 World Cup in France when the rivals met in the last 16. Argentina again wore dark blue and defeated 10-man England on penalties after a dramatic 2-2 draw, which included Michael Owen's wonder goal and David Beckham's red card.
The Home Kit Curse
Compounding the belief is Argentina's poor record against England in their traditional sky-blue and white home strip. At the 1966 and 2002 World Cups, they lost painful matches while wearing the home kit, leading some fans to consider it cursed in this fixture.
FIFA Approval and Tuchel's Reaction
Ahead of the 2026 semi-final, the AFA proactively approached FIFA to request permission to wear the dark blue alternate strip, which was granted. England manager Thomas Tuchel acknowledged the psychological significance, saying he would have done the same if a kit held such meaning for England. He stressed that superstitions are common at the highest level of the game.
