Athletes, especially those at the top of their game and those who have won it all, are undoubtedly there or have been because of their ability.
But, believe it or not, there are some who feel that superstition has played a crucial role in their success, and it’s been a common thought of some for a while.
Bjorn Borg
Bjorn Borg is one of the greatest tennis players of all time. The Swede, a former world number one and multiple-time Grand Slam winner, was known as the Ice Man, and his talent was never up for discussion.
You don’t achieve the things he did if you’re not an elite player. However, while ability, hard work and determination were integral components to the success he enjoyed, so was superstition.
When Wimbledon came around, he would inevitably be one of the favourites to win the tournament. The player would, without fail, grow a beard and wear a specific Fila top, specifically for the event.
Serena Williams
We’re sticking with tennis for the second superstitious athlete on this list, and this time it’s the turn of Serena Williams, who dominated women’s tennis for a good few years before retiring recently.
This talented player has always been one of the favourites at popular online sportsbooks as well as among tennis fans all over the world.
If you asked Williams herself, she would detail how her aggressive style enabled her to reach the heights that she did, but she had superstitious routines, too, when heading into tournaments.
These routines include tying her laces in a specific way before heading out onto the court with her shower sandals. She also bounced the ball five times before serving and twice before delivering a second serve.
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is one of the best basketballers ever to live and is number one in the eyes of most people. And, while helping the Chicago Bulls to multiple successes, the American was actually doing so wearing a pair of his University of Carolina shorts.
It’s something that he started out doing, wearing the UoC shorts under his Bulls shorts, and because NBA titles started rolling in, he just stuck with them, believing they brought him and the team good luck on the court. At one stage, Jordan had to wear longer shorts to cover his UoC shorts, which actually kicked off a trend in the NBA.
Shaquille O’Neal
We’re wrapping up our list of the most superstitious athletes with another basketball player and one who believes Michael Jordan is the G.O.A.T.
There is no doubt that Shaquille O’Neal was a good player because he was, and he was certainly one of the biggest and most imposing to appear in the NBA.
And he was also incredibly superstitious, especially with his free-throwing technique, which he changed every time that he missed as he believed his previous method brought him bad luck.
Before tipping off, O’Neal also chewed four pieces of gum, which he then stuck under his seat on the bench, believing doing so brought him success on the court.