5 bizarre pre-game superstitions practised by footballers

Javier Hernandez’s pre-game prayers are nothing compared to these ritualsWe all have heard of fans having different superstitions before and during games, but it should be no surprise to know that even well-known footballers have their own rituals before or during the games.From the common tendency of players to touch the ground and cross their heart as they come onto the pitch, to the player who prepares for matches by reading Dostoevsky on the loo (Gennaro Gattuso), football is full of some of these weird rituals followed rigorously by the players. If it works then who are we to knock it?Here are the 5 most weird pre-game superstitions practised of footballers:

#1 Kolo Toure has to be the last player to enter the pitch

Toure received a yellow card for his bizarre ritual during a Champions League match

Ivory Coast defender Kolo Toure insists on being the last player to enter the pitch before the start of play. His superstition got him in a spot of bother during a Champions League game for Arsenal against Roma. His desire to be the last person out meant that he waited for William Gallas who was receiving extra treatment by the side.

Arsenal were playing for a short while with fewer players on the pitch, Toure came on without asking the referee. This got him a yellow card as he came in after the game had already started.

Toure still keeps follows this weird ritual and has never for once failed to be the last one to enter the pitch.

#2 Sergio Goycochea urinated on the pitch before penalty shootouts

Goycochea saved a number of penalties during the 1990 World Cup quarter final and semi final

The Argentinian goalkeeper believed that urinating on the field brought good luck for his team during penalty shootouts. This rather crude lucky charm first worked in the 1990 World Cup quarter-finals against Yugoslavia and again in the semis.

Since the rules didn’t allow him to off the field, he had to relieve himself on the pitch. But they won, and the same thing happened in the semifinals too. Since then, he made it into a ritual.

But ironically later when West Germany were awarded a 85th-minute penalty in the final, Goycochea failed to repeat his heroics and Andreas Brehme duly slotted the ball into the net to break Argentine hearts.

#3 Cristiano Ronaldo sports a new hairstyle before every match

Ronaldo has won three Ballon d'Or awards

Even a player widely regarded as among the best players of the game isn’t immune to superstition. Portugal’s captain reportedly will not play a game unless he’s gotten a fresh haircut beforehand.

Ronaldo’s pre-game routine puts him apart from any other soccer player in the world. Before every single game he gets his haircut right before going to the stadium. He has previously stated that he’s afraid of “jinxing his scoring run.”

Especially during the 2010 World Cup we saw the Portuguese midfielder following this ritual rigorously throughout the tournament. With a good run of form for Real Madrid in the Spanish Primera Division recently, it seems he may be wise to continue his streak of pre-game haircuts.

#4 Cryuff\'s spitting chewing gum in the opponent\'s half

Cryuff was against players having superstitions by the time he turned manager

The Dutch legend used to slap his goalkeeper Gert Bals in the stomach while he was at Ajax, and then spit his chewing gum into the opposition's half before kick-off. When Cruyff once forgot his gum, in the European Cup final of 1969, Ajax lost to Milan 4-1.

Cruyff later deserted this ritual and advised managers to ensure that their players are not influenced by any kind of superstition.

"If it does influence them, "you can't play them in the next match." he said. Cryuff went on to become one of the best players of all time and surely there were other things which had a bigger hand to play in his performances than his rituals.

#5 Laurent Blanc kissed Fabian Barthez on his head before every match

It became an habit for Blanc who used to follow this ritual every time he played alongside Barthez

Fabian Barthez was treated as an icon for luck by defender Laurent Blanc who used to kiss the French Goalkeeper on his head before every match during the 1998 World Cup.

There was a long list of rituals followed by the French side during that World Cup. The list included occupying the same seats on the team bus, listening to the same Gloria Gaynor's 1970s hit "I Will Survive" in the changing-room, and was finally rounded off by defender Laurent Blanc kissing keeper Fabien Barthez's head before kick-off.

Interestingly France won the World Cup that year at home. Perhaps it had more to do with that talented team, but they had their own idiosyncrasies that seemed to work.