Football fans are convinced that the ‘Aaron Ramsey curse’ has returned following Pope Francis’ death on Easter Monday.
Tributes have been pouring in after the Vatican announced that the Pope had died aged 88, with football matches in Italy subsequently postponed.
While Pope Francis had been seriously ill for some time, football supporters couldn’t help but notice the timing of his death – just two days after Arsenal hero Ramsey was appointed manager of Cardiff City.
On Saturday, the Bluebirds sacked Omer Riza after a 2-0 defeat atSheffield United left them 23rd in the Championship, one point from safety.
Wales captain Ramsey has been put in caretaker charge for the final three games of the season, starting with a home clash against Oxford United on Easter Monday.
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Ramsey, who has also played for Nottingham Forest, Juventus and Rangers, has long been subject of one of football’s most infamous superstitions, which appears to have struck again…
What is the Aaron Ramsey curse?
The ‘Aaron Ramsey curse’ surrounds the idea that whenever the midfielder scores a goal, a celebrity is doomed to die soon after.
Over his career, the 34-year-old has scored 79 club goals, as well as 21 for Wales, and in the days following 25 of these goals, at least one notable celebrity died.
Now while Ramsey did not find the back of the net in the days before Pope Francis’ death, fans are sure the ‘curse’ has evolved to coincide with his first venture into management.
‘Aaron Ramsey didn’t score this weekend but, he became a manager… the Pope died,’ one supporter on Twitter observed.
‘He got made a manager for the first time yesterday. The Aaron Ramsey Curse is back, here we go!’ Charles Davie jested, while Dan Pearce added: ‘The Aaron Ramsey curse extends to managerial appointments.’
‘Aaron Ramsey took over as Cardiff City Manager on Friday and now The Pope has died. The Aaron Ramsey curse strikes again,’ Phillip Bagley concurred, while another fan said: ‘Aaron Ramsey’s first game as a manager & the Pope dies. Even in management he still has a curse.’
Which celebrities have died because of the Aaron Ramsey curse?
29 celebrities have fallen victim to the ‘Aaron Ramsey curse’, with the first recorded incident being former US politician Ted Kennedy, who died August 25, 2009 – three days after Ramsey scored for Arsenal against Portsmouth in the Premier League.
The superstition gained traction in the early 2010s following the deaths of Osama Bin Laden, Steve Jobs, Muammar Gaddafi, Whitney Houston, Paul Walker and Robin Williams.
In the space of five days in January 2016, Ramsey scored two goals in two games, leading to the passing of David Bowie and Alan Rickman.
List of celebrities and world leaders 'killed by the Aaron Ramsey curse'
Ted Kennedy (US politician):August 25, 2009 – three days after Ramsey’s first Premier League goal for Arsenal against Portsmouth.
Andres Montes (Spanish journalist): October 16, 2009 – two days after Ramsey’s first Wales goal against Liechtenstein.
Osama Bin Laden (Al-Qaeda founder): May 2, 2011 – day after scoring winner against Man Utd.
Steve Jobs (Apple co-founder): October 5, 2011 – three days after scoring against Tottenham in the North London derby.
Muammar Gaddafi (Libyan dictator): October 20, 2011 – day after scoring injury-time winner against Marseille.
Whitney Houston (singer): February 11, 2012 – day after scoring against Sunderland.
Ray Williams (Basketball star): March 22, 2013 – same day as goal against Scotland.
Boris Berezovsky (Russian oligarch): March 23, 2013 – day after goal against Scotland.
Ken Norton (Boxer): September 18, 2013 – same day as goal against Marseille
Paul Walker (Actor): November 30, 2013 – same day as scoring twice for Arsenal against Cardiff.
Rubin Carter (Boxer): April 20, 2014 – same day as goal and assist against Hull.
Robin Williams (Actor and comedian): August 11, 2014 – day after goal and assist Community Shield win against Man City.
David Bowie (Musician): January 10, 2016 – day after scoring against Sunderland.
Alan Rickman (Actor): January 14, 2016 – day after goal and assist against Liverpool
Nancy Reagan (US First Lady): March 6, 2016 – day after scoring against Tottenham in the North London derby.
Nicky Hayden (MotoGP champion): May 22, 2017 – day after scoring against Everton.
Roger Moore (James Bond actor): May 23, 2017 – two days after scoring against Everton.
Gregg Allman (Singer): May 27, 2017 – same day as winning goal in FA Cup final against Chelsea.
Bruce Forsyth (TV Presenter): August 18, 2017 – week after scoring against Leicester.
Ken Dodd (Comedian): March 9, 2018 – day after scoring against AC Milan.
Stephen Hawking (Physicist): March 14, 2018 – six days after scoring against AC Milan.
Eric Bristow (Darts legend): April 5, 2018 – same day as scoring twice against CSKA Moscow.
Burt Reynolds (Actor): September 6, 2018 – same day as scoring against Ireland.
Keith Flint (The Prodigy vocalist): March 4, 2019 – two days after scoring against Tottenham in the North London derby.
Luke Perry (Actor): March 4, 2019 – two days after scoring against Tottenham in the North London derby.
Kenneth Kaunda (Zambian President): June 17, 2021 – two days after scoring against Turkey at Euro 2020.
June Brown (EastEnders actress): April 4, 2022 – day after scoring for Rangers in the Old Firm against Celtic.
Olivia Newton-John (Actress and singer): August 8, 2022 – day after debut goal for Nice against Tolouse.
Steve Harwell (Singer): September 4, 2023 – two days after scoring for Cardiff against Ipswich.
Pope Francis: April 21, 2025 – two days after Ramsey is appointed Cardiff caretaker boss, his first venture into management.
Nancy Reagan, Roger Moore, Bruce Forsyth, Stephen Hawking, Burt Reynolds, June Brown and Olivia Newton-John are among the other famous faces.
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Not including Pope Francis, the last person to pass away from the ‘curse’ was Smash Mouth lead vocalist Steve Harwell on September 4, 2023 – two days after Ramsey scored for Cardiff against Ipswich.
What has Aaron Ramsey said about the Aaron Ramsey curse?
Speaking to Sport magazine in 2015, Ramsey addressed the curse, calling it: ‘The most ridiculous rumour I’ve heard.
‘There have been loads of occasions where I’ve scored and somebody has died.
‘That’s just a crazy rumour. Although I took out some baddies!’
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