Darren Jason Watkins Jr, widely known as Speed, has gained a reputation for unintentionally bringing bad luck to the teams he supports. This pattern continued into the World Cup 2026. In the quarter-final match between Argentina and Switzerland on 11/7, Speed arrived at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, US, wearing an Argentina jersey with the specific intention of "jinxing" the reigning champions.

However, his plan did not materialize as Argentina secured a 3-1 victory.

Speed celebrating after meeting his idol Ronaldo in 2023.

Speed showed visible frustration as Argentina scored. When Alexis Mac Allister headed in the opening goal in the 10th minute, he exclaimed, "What is happening? This is not good, everyone. What should I do?".

His mood shifted dramatically after Dan Ndoye scored Switzerland's equalizer in the 67th minute. Speed, despite wearing an Argentina shirt, was likely the only one in the crowd celebrating the goal, even performing Cristiano Ronaldo's characteristic "siuu" celebration.

However, his composure quickly unraveled when Julio Alvarez curled a right-footed shot to give Argentina a 2-1 lead in the 112th minute. By the time Lautaro Martinez slotted home a rebound to seal the 3-1 victory in the 120+1 minute, a visibly upset Speed promptly left the stadium.

Speed is a fervent supporter of Cristiano Ronaldo, the superstar often considered a rival to Argentina's captain, Lionel Messi. He frequently wears Ronaldo's jersey during livestreams, music videos, and when attending matches. In a livestream on 10/7, Speed proudly showcased a gift from Ronaldo: a pair of limited-edition Mercurial Superfly 11 CR7 Gold Scorpion boots.

Beyond his streaming activities, Speed has also released several football-inspired singles, including "Ronaldo (SEWEY)" and "World Cup," which have garnered hundreds of millions of views across digital platforms.

In the broader context of World Cup 2026, Ronaldo and the Portugal national football team faced an early exit from the tournament on 6/7, following a 0-1 defeat to Spain in the round of 1/8. In contrast, Argentina has advanced to the semi-finals, where they are scheduled to face England on 15/7. A victory in that match would see Messi and his teammates compete in the final against either France or Spain.

The World Cup 2026 semi-finals are shaping up to be a true clash of titans, featuring four teams that are either reigning champions or runners-up of the two most recent major tournaments. Argentina currently holds the World Cup title, with France as the runner-up, while Spain is the reigning Euro champion, and England was the runner-up.

In the individual scoring race, Messi is currently tied with Kylian Mbappe as the leading goal scorer, both having netted 8 goals.

By Thanh Quy