Coin Toss Superstitions: The Strange Rituals Referees Won't Admit To

Same coin, same pocket, same flip. World Cup officials are creatures of habit.

<p>Players get all the attention for superstitions. But the official at the center circle this summer may be running rituals of their own.</p>

<p>Referees around the world have long confessed to habits around the toss: a lucky coin carried across an entire career, always the same pocket, always the same flipping thumb.</p>

<p>It makes a certain sense. Officiating is a job of ruthless neutrality — the toss is the one moment of pure chance a referee personally sets in motion.</p>

<p>Commemorative coins are minted for major tournaments, and many officials frame them afterward. The smallest piece of equipment on the field might be the most sentimental.</p>