Some players can invest so much into their routines that they become lucky charms in their minds
In football, players and coaches will do nearly anything to get the slightest edge, something that will bring them over the line ahead of their opponents.
That usually includes seeking out the best diets and trying to train as intelligently as possible, using statistics and so forth in order to maximise the chances of winning.
For some, the pursuit of victory also involves adhering to certain rituals and, while they might seem absurd or odd, an interruption to routine can have an adverse effect.
Goal takes a look at some of the funniest and weirdest superstitions in football.
Getty1Don Revie didn't like birds
Legendary Leeds United manager Don Revie was famously superstitious and felt so strongly about certain matters that he even had someone try to lift a curse off Elland Road.
As well as insisting on the team bus going the exact same route to every game, Revie would wear the same suit as long as the team won – which became a small issue during their successful periods when his trousers wore thin!
Revie also felt that certain birds were bad luck, so the sudden appearance of an owl badge on the Leeds jersey – inspired by the city coat of arms – in the 1960s was a tad unusual. It was eventually dropped in favour of 'L.U.F.C.', with Revie reportedly an influence behind the decision.
Oh, and he didn't like ornamental elephants either.
AdvertisementGetty Images2The battered boots of Jack Grealish
During Aston Villa's 2018-19 promotion-winning season, Jack Grealish became somewhat superstitious about the boots that he wore.
Footballers often have endorsement deals with sportswear producers and more often than not they love to wear the latest boots. However, that was a luxury Grealish decided to ditch.
Having scored a few goals and laid on some more for his Villa team-mates on his return from injury, the playmaker decided that it had to be his boots.
As a result, Grealish kept wearing the same pair, only changing after the club achieved a place in the Premier League.
The leather was tearing off and his favoured left boot was particularly battered.
"They were brand new and then I got a few goals, a few assists," he explained. "I thought these were my lucky boots so I've had to keep them."
Getty3Felix Magath's lucky tie
Former Bayern Munich manager Felix Magath grew quite attached to a green tie when he was manager of Wolfsburg in the late 2000s.
When he steered the Wolves to a then-record number of successive wins, Magath declared that the tie would not be changed as long as they were winning.
Who are we to argue? Magath steered Wolfsburg to Bundesliga glory that season, finishing two points ahead of Bayern Munich.
Getty Images4Johan Cruyff the belly slapper
While Johan Cruyff scathingly dismissed the idea of pre-match rituals later in his career, he actually had a few himself in the early days at Ajax.
Before games, the Dutch legend would land a customary slap on the belly of goalkeeper Gert Bals before then proceeding to spit his chewing gum into the opponent's half.
He grew out of that 1970s habit though and by the 1990s he was highly critical of players – and coaches – who had their various superstitions indulged.