Bad omen? Maradona can’t indulge in 1 of his superstitious routines anymore at World Cup

Superstitious Maradona has to do without routine

PRETORIA, South Africa — Is Diego Maradona a worried man?

The Argentine coach is highly superstitious — and has just found out one of his routines before a match is no longer allowed in South Africa.

No matter how far away the matches have been, he’s insisted on holding day-before news conferences at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.

But the stadium closed for the World Cup after Tuesday’s match between Paraguay and Japan.

“OK, fine,” Maradona said when told about the venue closing. “But what about the press center?”

No go, he was told — so Friday’s news conference will have to be in Cape Town on the eve of the Germany match.

Before each World Cup match in South Africa, Maradona has come onto the field wearing a tracksuit only to later emerge from the tunnel in a gray suit. Straight after the match, it’s back into his tracksuit for the press conference.

He also insists on holding rosary beads in his hand during the game.

And you won’t see him switch from one pitch to another at Argentina’s training camp without making a sign of the cross.