Behind the magic of the Argentine World Cup, an army of witches

Magalí Martínez knew something was wrong: seemingly invincible soccer star Lionel Messi was brawling on the soccer field. To her, it seemed he was afflicted with a supernatural curse that has roots in different cultures throughout history, the "evil eye".

So Martínez, a self-proclaimed witch and part-time babysitter, went to work. She focused intensely on Messi, started repeating a prayer and poured some oil into a bowl of water. If the oil remained dispersed, it was safe. If it gathered in the middle, it was cursed.

“It came together like a magnet,” she said. "I knew I couldn't cure him on my own."

She took to Twitter and called out to her fellow witches across Argentina. "Evil eye healing sisters, Messi is very affected," she said. "I need your help."

A thousand people shared her tweet, many saying they too were witches and would work to protect Argentina's golden boy.

Argentina haven't lost since.

Accountants set their odds, players placed their bets and pundits made their picks for Sunday's World Cup final between Argentina and France, but their analysis of the game - focused only on the 22 players on the plot - maybe not considering a wildcard: the Argentine Witch Army.

Witches in Argentina have formed groups to give their football team some magic since the team's first loss in the World Cup.Credit...Anita Pouchard Serra for the New York Times

In recent weeks, hundreds, even thousands of Argentines who call themselves Les "brujas", or witches, took up arms - in the form of prayers, altars, candles, amulets and burning sage - to protect their country's beloved football team in their quest for a third Cup title of the world and its first in 36 years.

"We see ourselves as agents who, out of love, can care for, protect and sow happiness," said Rocío Cabral Menna, 27, a witch and high-school teacher in Messi's hometown, Rosario, who burns a bay leaf inscribed with his predicted score in a ceremony before each game. Players compete on the field, she said, and at home, "the witches take care of them".

The trend s is inflamed after Argentina's shock defeat to Saudi Arabia. Arabia in the opener, forcing the Argentines to look for any way to help the team that this nation of 47 million has pinned its hopes on.