PHILADELPHIA, June 20 — Brazil eased to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Haiti in Philadelphia in their 2026 World Cup Group C match today, extending their strong start to the tournament while keeping nerves – and superstition – firmly in check.
The result this morning added fresh fuel to a growing fan theory that Brazil’s cautious approach to the so-called “Rocky curse” may have helped preserve their winning momentum.
The “Rocky curse” is a long-running superstition among visiting supporters in Philadelphia, centred on the bronze statue of fictional boxer Rocky Balboa (played by Sylvester Stallone) outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Traditionally, fans of visiting teams gather on the famous steps to celebrate and often dress the statue in their team colours, turning it into a pre-match ritual.
But over time, some supporters have come to believe that interfering with the statue brings bad luck, after a string of visiting teams reportedly failed to win following such displays.
The idea gained renewed attention last week when Ecuador fans decorated the statue in national colours before their 1-0 defeat to Ivory Coast on June 14, a result sealed by a late Amad Diallo goal in the 90th minute.
Amad Diallo scored in the 90th minute to lift Ivory Coast to a 1-0 victory over Ecuador in its first World Cup appearance in a dozen years.
That outcome quickly became part of online folklore, with fans jokingly attributing Ecuador’s loss to the “curse”, even as others dismissed it as coincidence.
Brazil supporters, aware of the growing superstition, opted not to dress the statue or stage the usual mass celebrations on the Rocky Steps ahead of kickoff.
Even Philadelphia tourism voices joined the tongue-in-cheek narrative, reminding visiting fans that “Rocky does not need your kit”, as thousands still gathered across the city.
Kickoff took place at 8pm local time in the United States (8am Malaysia time today), with Brazil delivering a controlled, dominant performance from start to finish.
The 3-0 win over Haiti strengthened their position in Group C and maintained their perfect discipline on and off the pitch.
While there is no evidence linking superstition to performance, supporters embraced the narrative that avoiding the “curse” had kept Brazil’s campaign on track.
For now, Rocky remains untouched, Brazil remain unbeaten, and the myth – at least among fans – continues to linger.
