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Sport is frequently played on a razor's edge, with the difference between winning and losing being determined by the smallest of margins.
It should come as no surprise that footballers go above and beyond to assure their success, from training to extreme dietary measures.
In their desperation to win, players frequently turn to pre-game customs in the hopes that they may provide them with a tiny advantage on the field.
And if you think something as straightforward as maintaining your seat on the team bus will do the trick, just wait until you read the lengths some players will take to ensure a victory.
It is noteworthy to state that this list consists of both active, non-active, alive and dead football players.
Below are ten football players with unusual football rituals and superstitions.
Luis Suarez Celebrates brace
This athlete usually wore a blue bandage on his right wrist while defending La Blaugrana for several seasons.
It was wrapped around his thumb even though he had no recognised difficulties with any of his bodily parts.
Suarez wondered if the bandage on his right hand always brought him good fortune.
This has now become a habit for him and even when he dons a long sleeve jersey, he never forgets to wear a wrist guard.
Suarez is also known for his rather strange habits. Another thing he does frequently is smell the tattoos on his hands every time he takes to the field.
These numerous activities constitute a 'ritual' for Suarez to win the game.
Terry had a lucky set of shin pads that he wore for ten seasons and he also practised several pre-game rituals.
The former Chelsea captain would always take the same seat on the bus.
"I am really superstitious, and if we win a game, I add it to my next superstition," he explained.
He also taped his socks exactly three times.
Jack Grealish and Pep Guardiola
During Aston Villa's promotion-winning season in 2018-19, Jack Grealish grew a little obsessed with the boots he wore.
After a couple of goals and assists for his Villa teammates on his return from injury, the playmaker decided it had to be his boots.
Grealish continued to wear the same pair, only switching after the club was promoted to the Premier League.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner and one of the greatest players of all time, that’s what comes to your mind when you hear the name, Cristiano Ronaldo.
It is strange to see Ronaldo on this list because he has stated numerous times that he believes in hard work and nothing else, but he also has some superstitions.
His football ritual superstition includes being the first player to exit from an aircraft, being the last player out of the tunnel, and ensuring that he puts his right foot first on the pitch before jumping into the field of play.
Mesut Ozil
The former Gunners star, who has won La Liga, the FA Cup and the World Cup, prepares for matches by tying several knots into his boots repeatedly.
Ozil always insists on tying several knots to his boots and also puts on his right boot first.
Domenech had a particular problem with Scorpio sun sign players on his squads, describing them as reckless, unreliable, troublesome, and attention seekers.
As a result, he virtually ended Robert Pires' career. Raymond Domenech, the team's then-manager, was a major believer in astrology and used it to make team decisions.
He exhibited his quirkiness by proposing to his girlfriend on the pitch after being knocked out of Euro 2008, and he oversaw a mutiny two years later - yet they all appear reasonable when contrasted to his reliance on astrology.
Before removing a ring given to him by his wife, Cesc Fabregas would kiss it four times (his lucky number).
He stated that he is not superstitious in any way, but believes that the act offers him good luck.
Phil Jones being superstitious seems absurd for a man who has been plagued by misfortune for the majority of his career.
The Manchester United defender revealed having a stupid pre-match routine in which he chooses which sock to put on first depending on whether United was at home or away.
If they are at home and their name was on the left side of the fixture list, Jones would put on his left sock first.
If they are away, he would put on his right sock first.
He was obsessed with several pre-match rituals that he would never tolerate as a coach, and the former Ajax hero would always slap his goalie Gert Bals in the stomach before kick-off.
If that wasn't weird enough, he'd walk over to the opposing half and spew his chewing gum onto their side of the field.
During the 1969 European Cup final, Cruyff smacked Bals and then strolled over to the opposing half to spit his gum.
It wasn't until then that the Dutchman realised he'd forgotten to chew gum, and Ajax was beaten 4-1.
Pele is widely recognised as one of the greatest footballers of all time, but the Brazilian experienced a rare dip at Santos in the mid-1960s.
The forward then hired a detective to find his old shirt, which he had given away.
It was returned a week later, and his form instantly returned.
But the detective omitted to mention that he had failed in his quest for that specific jersey and had instead given the three-time World Cup winner the shirt he had worn in his previous matches.
Nonetheless, the legend regained his form and resumed scoring goals.
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