Hands off! Soccer’s strange trophy curse has its latest victim
Before Pumas’ Clausura 2026 final defeat to Cruz Azul, defender Nathan Silva failed to heed a well-known soccer superstition.
After watching their team miss out on the Liga MX title, superstitious Pumas fans have been left wondering: Were Los Universitarios’ chances sunk by one of soccer’s strangest curses? On Sunday, Pumas fell to Cruz Azul in the Clausura 2026 final - just days after defender Nathan Silva was seen touching the championship trophy during a pre-series event.
In soccer, there’s a long-standing belief: Keep your hands off the trophy until you’ve won it on the field. Over the years, supporters and players alike have linked that act to painful defeats in both domestic and international finals. So it was no surprise that the Brazilian center back’s gesture quickly sparked chatter among the fan base.
The trophy curse throughout the years
The image of Silva brought to mind other infamous moments tied to the superstition. One of the most memorable came in the 2005 UEFA Champions League final. Before kickoff in Istanbul, Gennaro Gattuso and Andriy Shevchenko were seen placing their hands on the trophy. AC Milan raced into a 3-0 lead at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium, only for Liverpool to mount a historic comeback and eventually claim the title on penalties.
Years later, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk was also photographed alongside the trophy ahead of the 2012 Champions League final. That night ended in heartbreak for Bayern Munich, who lost to Chelsea in a penalty shootout - despite playing on home turf at the Allianz Arena.
The superstition also seemed to follow Dimitri Payet in the 2018 Europa League final. The French midfielder touched the trophy before kickoff, then was forced off with an injury during Olympique Marseille’s defeat to Atlético Madrid.
Another case surfaced at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup, when three Brazilian players caressed the trophy before the final against Serbia. Brazil went on to lose the championship match.
And Silva isn’t the first Pumas player not to heed the don’t-touch-the-trophy mantra. Ahead of the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League final, Higor Meritao laid his hand on the cup before facing the Seattle Sounders, before the Liga MX club lost the title decider 5-2 on aggregate.
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