sports
French World Cup Fans Told to Avoid Touching Philadelphia Rocky Statue
French supporters in Philadelphia received a warning against placing team gear on the Rocky Balboa statue. The advisory follows earlier incidents where teams whose fans dressed the statue lost matches.
usatoday.comAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
French World Cup supporters traveling to Philadelphia have been told to keep their hands off the city's Rocky Balboa statue. The warning came after several teams suffered losses after their fans placed shirts or flags on the bronze figure.
Background on the superstition The practice began drawing attention when Ecuador supporters draped a yellow shirt and flag on the statue before their match against Ivory Coast. Ecuador lost that game. The same pattern appeared in 2018 when New England Patriots fans placed a Tom Brady jersey on the statue ahead of the Super Bowl. The Patriots lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 41-33.
Current advisory A French supporters' group issued a statement urging fans not to place Les Bleus shirts or scarves on the statue before their match against Iraq. The statement said fans should exercise caution and avoid the action under any circumstances.
Brazil supporters received a similar warning before their match against Haiti. Brazil won that game 3-0. Philadelphia's police commissioner told Reuters that fans now view placing a shirt on the statue as a jinx. One Ecuadorean fan later left an offering of Encebollado at the statue's base in an attempt to reverse the perceived effect.
