Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has a ritual he follows on matchdays, according to reports.
Slot, 46, took charge of the Reds in June 2024 following Jurgen Klopp’s departure.
Given the fact he had come from the Eredivisie, both fans and the British media were unsure how he would take to life as a Premier League boss.
But even the most optimistic of Liverpool fans could not have predicted his start to life at Anfield.
A Mohamed Salah brace saw the Reds to a 3-2 comeback victory against Southampton at St Mary’s on Sunday.
The win meant Slot’s side went eight points clear of second place Manchester City in the Premier League table.
They currently sit top of the 36-team Champions League table with a perfect four wins from four games so far this term.
Of course, Slot’s tactics, Liverpool’s players and even the Anfield atmosphere could all be contributing factors to their success, but there may be a more alternative reason at play.
According to Mail Sport, the Dutchman has a superstition which involves avoiding looking at the clock at exactly 13.13 (1:13 or am) for several years, as he believes the number can mean bad luck.
And luckily for Slot, Liverpool don’t have a ‘13’ in their official squad list.
But he is not the only football manager to have fairly odd superstitions.
Arne Slot has a unique matchday ritual (Credit:Getty)
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone is thought to be keen on routines which could also pass as superstitions.
Guilherme Siqueira, who played for the La Liga outfit from 2014 to 2017, revealed that the Argentine had the same music playlist on the team coach and in the changing room ahead of games.
“Atleti have the most superstitious coaching staff I have seen in the history of football, I have never seen anything like it,” Siqueira told ESPN Brazil, via Squawka in December
In recent times, Slot’s Merseyside rival Everton boss Sean Dyche even switched up his choice of clothing on matchday.
Dyche was known for his long-sleeved white shirt and blue tie.
But during a relegation ‘six-pointer’ against Nottingham Forest in April 2024, the Toffees’ boss wore a club tracksuit to the surprise of many.
Strangely enough, his side won 2-0. So, the tracksuit stayed. And the coincidence did not stop there as his team went on a fine run of form, beating city rivals Liverpool and Brentford in a six-day period to ensure their Premier League status.
So maybe there is a method to coach’s rituals after all.
