These 3 teams have suffered ‘punishments from beyond’

In LatinAmerican Post we compile the stories of three great sports institutions that at some point in their history have been victims of the 'beyond'

In the world of sports, luck plays a role as important as the discipline and effort gave by each of its protagonists. Could it be that the hand of the beyond also plays it? This doubt is based on the historical facts of great teams and sports clubs that, in one way or another, have seen their showcases of empty prizes for several years, even for several decades; and they ended up believing that some kind of 'curse' had seized them. In LatinAmerican Post we collect some examples.

Leer en español: Las 'maldiciones' en el deporte:tres equipos que han sufrido 'castigos del más allá'

The international 'sadness' of Benfica

Sports Lisboa e Benfica (or simply Benfica) is one of the most important clubs in Portugal due to the 36 league titles it has; the most laureate of the Portuguese country. According to Planet Benfica, the club is part of the list of the 'Big Three' of Portugal, along with Sporting Lisbon and Oporto.

Now, in terms of international titles, until the 60s had two European Cups (current Champions League), both won consecutively against Barcelona (1961) and Real Madrid (1962), respectively, reported Infobae.

However, until today, the story is the same and not precisely for lack of attempts by the Portuguese club. The fact that Benfica has not increased his international record has to do with a condemnation left him by Bela Guttman, the coach with whom he won the two European Cups. "Without me, Benfica will not win a European title in 100 years," said the legendary coach, quoted by the Argentine media.

The newspaper Marca, for its part, takes away the "100 years" of the phrase, and, even worse, adds the word "never": "Without me, Benfica will never win a European Cup", is the overwhelming message that quotes the sports publication. For the moment, Benfica has been victims of this 'tragedy' eight times, the last one in 2014, when they lost the final of Europa Ligue against Sevilla of Spain.

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A drought that the Red Sox will never forget

Similar case is what happened with the Red Sox, a representative team of Boston in the Major League Baseball. The Red Sox have been World Series champions nine times, four of them, according to the newspaper El Nuevo Día, in the last fifteen years (2004, 2007, 2013 and 2018). But to remember a Boston team lifting the title, before 2004, it's time to go back to 1918.

At the end of the decade of 1910-1920, the Red Sox managed to reach the Series in four opportunities, three of them with the famous George Herman 'Babe' Ruth (1915, 1916 and 1918). However, the transfer of Ruth to the New York Yankees in 1920 did not please the player, who, according to El Tiempo, stated that "while playing in Fenway Park (Red Sox field), they will never win another World Series."

Whether out of love or trust, the team never changed camp and, 86 years later, saw the reward of believing.

America of Cali against 'El Garabato'

In 1948, América de Cali became one of the first professional soccer clubs in Colombia. The team born in 1927 had to change its status from 'amateur' to 'pro', in order to participate in the Colombian league.

However, Benjamin Urrea, former player and director of America, known as 'El Garabato', did not agree with this transition. "Make it professional, make America what they want, but I swear by my God they will never be champions," said 'El Garabato'.

His words resonated for more than 30 years; and although in 1979 'the devils' could lift their first league trophy, it seems that it would not have been possible without a Mass that was held a year earlier at the Estadio Pascual Guerrero. In the activity, according to El Colombiano, 'El Garabato' said: "I, Benjamín Urrea, put a curse on America and today I am going to raise that curse with God's permission."

However, for many fans, the curse left some sequels that continued in the three Copa Libertadores finals that the America lost from 1985 to 1987, even in the five seasons the team lasted in the Colombian second division, after descending in 2011.

LatinAmerican Post | Christopher Ramírez Hernández

Translated from "Las 'maldiciones' en el deporte:tres equipos que han sufrido 'castigos del más allá"

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