For as long as humans have been around, there has been superstition. Belief that there is more than what meets the eye; in other words, that there are forces at work behind the scenes that we can’t quite make sense of.

These superstitions have always been a part of human culture, no matter which culture or country in question, and while many of us have started putting our faith in science, there are still many superstitions around the world that carry weight. Sports people are notoriously superstitious and some of the biggest names have strange rituals, talismans or beliefs that they are convinced give them the edge!

Tiger Woods and the Red Shirt

Red is traditionally a very lucky colour in China, but it seems that Tiger Woods also thinks that this hue will bring him luck. If he plays golf on a Sunday he insists on wearing a red shirt, and won’t go out on the green in any other colour. Judging by the number of titles he has won, he may well be right! If you enjoy any kind of wagering such as Crown Oaks Day Betting, then you may want to consider wearing red on the race day, just in case the colour really does have magical powers!

Bjorn Bjorg’s Beard

Tennis legend Bjorn Borg has a Wimbledon superstition that leaves him quite bushy! The tennis player believed that his beard brought him luck, and wouldn’t shave it off when playing in Wimbledon until he was knocked out. This sporting great seems to have something of a Samson complex concerning the beard, and believed it gave him strength!

Jade Jone’s Knickers

If we have to be honest, we all have a lucky pair of knickers tucked away somewhere. They are either the ones that give us luck, or are worn for extra confidence to make us feel really good! Taekwondo champ Jade Jones has a pair of lucky knickers featuring a Union Jack and wears them whenever she is competing. It turns out that the Union Jack is her talisman, and she firmly believes that it brings her good luck!

Rafael Nadal’s Pee-rfectly Strange Superstition

Fans of Rafael Nadal may be a bit put off to find out that the tennis star believes that drinking his own urine makes him stronger on court. Whether this is fact or fiction- or a myth- we can’t confirm, but apparently his whole family does it, and they continue to do it to this day. Urine does have some rather magical properties, but we think this may be taking superstition a bit too far!

Lara Trott’s Towel

Professional cyclist Lara Trott has an odd superstition, but she believes it brings her luck and is sticking to it! After her first big win she stepped on a wet towel in her changing room, and now she has to race with one of her feet a little bit damp. She steps on a wet towel before every race and believes that this gives her the edge over the other cyclists on the track.

These are just a few of the strange superstitions that sport men and women have, and there’s also the tale of Michael Jordan’s lucky practice shorts, Ronaldo’s half time hair style changes and Michael Phelp’s Michael Jackson ritual!