Why Liverpool boss Arne Slot can’t look at the number 13

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot might just owe part of his stunning Premier League start to more than tactics and talent.

While his high-octane football has seen the Reds soar to the top of the table, reports suggest Slot’s success could have a supernatural twist—one tied to a peculiar superstition involving the number 13.

Arne Slot, who took charge of Liverpool in June 2024, has transformed skepticism into belief, guiding his team to an eight-point lead over Manchester City and dominating Europe with a flawless Champions League campaign.

But behind the tactical genius lies an odd ritual: Slot reportedly avoids looking at the clock when it hits 13:13—either in the afternoon or the dead of night—believing the number spells bad luck.

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Liverpool fans might scoff, but the Dutchman’s obsession with avoiding “13” doesn’t stop there. Coincidentally (or not), the Reds’ official squad list conveniently skips the number entirely. Whether intentional or sheer luck, it aligns perfectly with Slot’s beliefs—and his results speak for themselves.

Arne Slot isn’t alone in the world of football superstitions. Across the city, Everton’s Sean Dyche famously ditched his iconic suit for a tracksuit during a crunch relegation battle last season.

The Toffees not only beat Nottingham Forest but went on a winning streak that secured their Premier League survival, with the tracksuit becoming a permanent fixture.

Superstitions in football are as old as the game itself. Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone is known for sticking to the same pre-match playlist—a tradition so strict that former player Guilherme Siqueira called it the most superstitious routine he’d ever witnessed.

Slot’s ritual may sound strange, but Liverpool fans won’t care as long as the results keep rolling in. Whether it’s avoiding a clock, a lucky playlist, or a matchday outfit change, these rituals seem to have a curious way of influencing outcomes.