Who among us has not heard of certain rituals that some football fans optimistic about before or during matches that they believe have an impact on the results of their favorite teams, so it is not surprising that players or club heads have similar beliefs as well.

In a report published by the "Sportskeeda" website, it listed the most prominent rituals that some of the most famous football players and teams believe may bring them luck.

Cristiano Ronaldo

The first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the name Cristiano Ronaldo is a 5-time Ballon d'Or winner and one of the greatest players of all time.

During his years as a professional athlete, Ronaldo was keen on some behaviors, such as being the first player to get off the plane while traveling, stepping on the grass with his right foot first, and standing in the same position every time he takes a free kick.

Johan Cruyff

Johan Cruyff wrote his name in football history and became one of the famous players in Dutch football, having rare skills that no other footballer can master.

As great a footballer as he was, he relied on a series of pre-match rituals that he never forgot to practice.

Shortly before kick-off, he would slap goalkeeper Gert Pals in the stomach, chew gum and throw it into the opposing team's half.

France national team in the 1998 World Cup

The French national team qualified for the World Cup final thanks to the skill and talent of players such as Zinedine Zidane, Marcel Desaillier, Didier Deschamps, Emmanuel Petit and Thierry Henry, but some players in the French national team had some Western rituals.

Before the match, defender Laurent Blanc was kissing the head of the bald goalkeeper Fabien Barthez.

Then, everyone from the bench to the coaches started kissing Barthez's bald head.

Another unusual myth for this team was that they were listening to Gloria Gaynor's "I'm Going to Live" in the locker room before every game.

They also followed a bus seating arrangement, where each member had a fixed seat that he did not change.

"El beso de la suerte" Una curiosa superstición que al iniciar cada partido Laurent Blanc y Fabien Barthez realizaban.

#LaLlaveDelMundial

RT si recordás esa imagen.

pic.twitter.com/luRjv1svEv

— Claro Honduras (@clarohonduras) May 17, 2018

Derby County

When Derby County moved into their new stadium, a baseball field in 1895, the stadium that would be their home for more than 100 years, they had to evict a group of Gypsies who had been staying on the site.

Gypsies, angry at their expulsion, allegedly cursed the team, saying the two-time Premier League winners would never win the FA Cup again.

While the curse was thought to be a fantasy, it lived on and permeated the minds of the masses.

The team reached the final in 1898, 1899 and 1904 and lost all three tournaments, as well as losing the semi-finals 3 times.

It seemed like a real curse after Derby County had not reached a final for another 40 years.

After 40 years, Derby County reached the FA Cup final in 1946, and the team managed to win the cup in overtime.

Classic Calcio Photo – Romeo Anconetani, president of Pisa from 1978-1994, used to throw salt on the pitch prior to matches for good luck.

His Pisa played in Serie A six times during his tenure, and after he left they haven't been back since.

Pisa's stadium is now named after him pic.twitter.com/y8k2SOcQRV

— Francesco (@FRANCESCalciO_) April 5, 2021

Romeo Anconitani

The former president of Italian club Pisa, Romeo Anconitani, was throwing salt on the pitch because he thought it would help his team win.

The more important the match, the more salt is on the field.

Romeo Anconitani was no different and acted just like other Italians who believed that even betting against their team would increase his chances of winning.

However, the president of Italian club Pisa may have gone too far.

During a crucial match against Cesena, the former manager took to the field and proceeded to pour 26 kilograms of salt into every corner of the Garibaldi Stadium.

pellet

The Brazilian legend could not escape the clutches of superstition.

In a bad phase of Pele's career, the striker attributed his poor performance to the shirt he gave to a fan after the match.

As a result, Pele sent one of his friends on a mission to find the shirt.

Fortunately, his friend was able to find the shirt and return it to Pele, who returned to the field soon after.

But his friend hid from him the fact that he had failed to find the original shirt, and instead brought Pelé the shirt he had worn in the previous match.

I enjoyed this and thought to share it.

The clip came with this note : Sobering reminder to all the kids out there who think Messi is the best player the world has ever seen....Pele in full flow in an era when the ball was actually heavier.

🤗 pic.twitter.com/16cRELP9o2

— Sunday Dare (@SundayDareSD) September 18, 2020

Zambezi River

In 2008, the coaches of the Zimbabwean football team sent their players to the river to cleanse themselves of evil spirits and discovered that it was the best way to escape the curse of losses.

They sent 17 players and asked them to dive into the Zambezi River, but one of them died.

The team and coach later learned that swimming in the river was forbidden due to its danger.

The currents were so strong that even professional swimmers were warned not to enter the river, let alone semi-professional soccer players.

Even worse, the river was infested with crocodiles and hippos, and the team lost a key player after failing to resist the force of the current.

This caused the team to lose the next few matches, and the player became one of the rare cases where superstition or ritual led to death.

Raymond Dominique

Coach Raymond Domenech was the most eccentric, as he relied on astrology to determine his team's selections.

Dominic has had a particular problem with Scorpio players, seeing them as reckless, unreliable, annoying and attention-seeking.

His beliefs effectively ended Robert Perez's career.