Ecuador learned a 90th-minute loss the hard way after supporters dressed the Rocky statue in Philadelphia with a yellow La Tri kit. Now, with Brazil set to face Haiti on Friday night, a Brazilian supporters’ group is warning members not to clothe the statue—be
On Thursday evening, Philadelphia’s steps outside the Art Museum are expected to fill up with Brazilian fans. But this time, they’re being told to keep their hands off one specific tradition: dressing the Rocky statue in their team colors.
It’s not superstition for them—it’s prevention.
Sunday, Ecuador supporters learned what many sports fans already fear. They fitted the Rocky statue with a yellow La Tri kit. then watched Ecuador concede a 90th-minute winner in its FIFA World Cup group-stage opener against Ivory Coast at Lincoln Financial Field (also known as Philadelphia Stadium). Ecuador lost 1-0 to the Ivorian side.
The story spread quickly because, before the tournament, Ivory Coast entered the group-stage opener ranked 10 spots behind La Tri in the FIFA World Ranking. For Ecuador’s fans, the timing felt less like coincidence and more like a message from the city’s most famous stone boxer.
Ahead of Brazil’s Friday night clash with Haiti at Linc, Brazilian supporters are trying to make sure they don’t repeat Ecuador’s mistake.
The Instagram account for one of Brazil’s supporters’ groups. Movemento Verde Amarelo. posted a warning to members to abstain from clothing the Rocky statue when Brazilian fans gather at the steps on Thursday evening. The translated version of the post reads: “Attention Brazil Fans. ” and then makes the rule plain: “It is totally forbidden to put a Brazilian shirt on the Rocky Statue in Philly!!!!!”.
PA also issued a warning about the Rocky curse to international fans, but the message arrived too late for Ecuador.
PA’s Instagram post said: “Countless football teams (as in American Football, not Fútbol — same curse, different sport) have all dressed the Rocky Statue in their colors and gone on to lose,” adding: “Ecuador dressed Rocky last weekend Coincidence? Sadly, history says no.”
Now, the question hovering over Thursday night is simple: will Brazilian supporters actually listen?
If they don’t, the curse would be asked to do some heavy lifting. Brazil is entering its Friday match against Haiti as favorites after a draw with Morocco in its opening match. Haiti, meanwhile, dropped to No. 85 in the FIFA World Ranking after losing its opener to Scotland, while Brazil is up to No. 5.
It’s a matchup that favors Brazil on paper—so it would take an upset for Haiti to beat the Brazilians. Still, the one thing Philly has taught supporters for years is that underdogs have a habit of finding momentum at the exact moment the crowd expects them to fold.
If the Rocky curse is real, this is the moment it would need to prove it again. And if it isn’t, Brazilian fans at least want to be able to say they didn’t tempt fate when the doors opened on Thursday evening.
Rocky curse Brazil fans Haiti Ecuador Ivory Coast World Cup group stage Lincoln Financial Field Philadelphia Art Museum Movemento Verde Amarelo
So they’re banning shirts because… a statue lost? lol
Wait I thought Rocky was like, a movie thing not a sports jinx. If Brazil wins then the curse is fake right? But if they lose then it’s obviously the shirt lol
This is weird. Like Ecuador dressed the statue in yellow and then lost 1-0 at that Philly stadium right? But couldn’t that just be because Ivory Coast is better? The whole “message from the stone boxer” part sounds made up
I saw something about Rocky curse before and I’m not even surprised. Fans do the dumbest stuff then act like it’s fate. Also Haiti?? aren’t they in the wrong tournament or something? Half this reads like a conspiracy post from IG anyway, but sure, “totally forbidden” to put a Brazilian shirt on the statue… okay.