Pygmy hippo Moo Deng predicts France-England World Cup final

Moo Deng, a pygmy hippopotamus residing at a zoo in Bangkok, has offered a unique prediction for the 2026 World Cup final: France versus England. This unusual forecast comes ahead of the semi-final matches scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.

The two-year-old female hippopotamus, whose name translates to "Jumping Pig" in Thai, has gained internet fame since her birth in 2024. She lives at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo, located about 110 kilometers east of Bangkok. Moo Deng is known for her endearing appearance and friendly demeanor.

For her World Cup prediction, Moo Deng was presented with two watermelons decorated with the flags of the competing nations. She first approached the watermelon bearing the French flag, then moved, with less certainty, towards the one representing England, while ignoring the Spanish flag. Her "poolmate" consumed the watermelon marked with the Argentinian flag, according to images shared by the zoo on social media.

This is not Moo Deng's first foray into predictive commentary. She previously "predicted" the victory of then-candidate Donald Trump in the November 2024 US presidential election. Her internet fame has extended beyond social media emojis, leading to a merchandise line promoted by the zoo.

While the accuracy of Moo Deng's predictions is unproven, the phenomenon of animals making forecasts is not new. The most famous example is the octopus Paul, who correctly predicted Spain's victory at the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa.