“Speed’s curse with Argentina?“: the theory about the bad luck of the team supported by the YouTuber in the 2026 World Cup

The 2026 World Cup is not only creating historic moments on the field but also off it. One of the big protagonists on social media is the North American content creator IShowSpeed, although not for the reasons he would like. On the internet, there is already open talk about the “Speed curse”, a phenomenon that has directly benefited the Argentine national team on their path to glory.

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What is the ‘IShowSpeed curse’ in the 2026 World Cup?

Fans’ theory on social media is simple but relentless: the team that Speed supports in the stadium wearing their jersey is the team that ends up eliminated or losing the match.

The curious thing about this World Cup edition is that the streamer has developed an obsession with seeing Lionel Messi’s Argentina fall. To achieve this, he has attended key matches wearing the official gear of Argentina’s rivals, unleashing an immediate “jinx effect” that has already gone viral on platforms like TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube.

Argentina vs. England: The day Speed’s curse reached its limit

The most recent and dramatic chapter of this saga took place on July 15, 2026 in the semifinal held in Atlanta. After Argentina’s victory over Switzerland in the previous round — where Speed wore red — the streamer promised to break the curse by wearing the England jersey. Before that, he also supported Egypt and lost. The same happened with Cape Verde.

For much of the match, the plan seemed to work after England’s Anthony Gordon scored in the 55th minute, which Speed celebrated euphorically by taking off his jersey on his live stream. However, the “curse” struck again at the end of the match:

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• Minute 85: Enzo Fernández equalized with a powerful mid-range shot.
• Minute 90+2: Lautaro Martínez connected a lethal header in stoppage time to seal the 2-1 final score in favor of Argentina.

Speed’s broadcast captured his total disbelief and frustration front and center, once again consolidating his curious negative streak.

The victim history: Argentina’s rivals supported by Speed

England’s defeat is not an isolated event. Throughout the tournament, the content creator has accumulated a perfect record of defeats while supporting the opponents of the team led by Lionel Scaloni:

• Switzerland vs. Argentina: Speed attended the stadium wearing the Swiss jersey. Argentina advanced to the next round.
• England vs. Argentina (Semifinal): He wore the “Three Lions” gear and the English were eliminated at the last moment with Lautaro Martínez’s goal.

Every attempt by the streamer to see the Albiceleste lose has ended with him witnessing epic comebacks and Argentine celebrations right under his nose.

Will Speed’s ‘curse’ activate in the World Cup grand final?

With Argentina qualified for the 2026 World Cup grand final, the expectation is not only on the tactical setup of the match but also on the decision the American influencer will make.

On social media, thousands of Argentine fans are already ironically asking Speed to buy the jersey of the other finalist (Spain) and attend the stadium to ensure the back-to-back championship. What started as a digital rivalry has turned into the most unexpected lucky charm in world football.

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