After Octopus and Cat, Now a Puma? Animals Become Regular Predictors at Major Sporting Events

Zoo Says "Not a Serious Analysis, Just an Event"

Korea Chosen as Winner by the "Ball-Rolling Puma"

The "fortune-telling puma" has predicted South Korea’s first victory at the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup. Muluk, a puma living at the Guadalajara Zoo in Mexico, has drawn attention by forecasting South Korea’s win in the group stage match against the Czech Republic.

Puma Muluk moved the ball placed between the Korean and Czech uniforms toward the Korean side. Local media reported this as "Muluk predicting Korea's victory in the match against Czech." Photo by AFP Yonhap News

On June 10 (local time), Mexican local media outlets, including Daily Mexico, reported that Guadalajara Zoo recently held a World Cup event, using animals’ choices of food and behavior to predict the outcomes of matches in line with the tournament’s festive atmosphere. In this event, if an animal chooses the direction where a specific country’s uniform, flag, or food is placed, it is interpreted as predicting that country’s victory.

In this scenario, Muluk the puma moved the ball placed between the Korean and Czech uniforms toward the Korean side. Local media reported, “Muluk predicted Korea’s victory over the Czech Republic.” The prediction for the group stage match between Korea and Mexico had a different outcome. The capybaras ate all the food placed on both the Korean and Mexican sides, making it impossible to determine a winner. The zoo interpreted this as a prediction of a draw.

The group stage match prediction between Korea and Mexico yielded a different outcome. The capybaras ate all the food placed on both Korea and Mexico's sides, making it impossible to determine a winner. Reuters Yonhap News

Danae Vasquez, the director of Guadalajara Zoo, explained, “This is not a serious analysis but a fun event to enjoy the World Cup festivities,” adding, “It was designed to offer visitors something different and entertaining.”

This is not the first time that an animal’s match prediction has made headlines ahead of a World Cup. The most famous example is Paul the octopus at the Sea Life Centre in Oberhausen, Germany, during the 2010 South Africa World Cup. Paul gained worldwide attention by correctly predicting the outcomes of Germany’s matches, as well as Spain’s victory in the final. At the time, Paul made his picks by choosing between boxes of food marked with the flags of the two competing nations.

Since then, “animal prophets” have emerged at every major international tournament. Ahead of the 2018 Russia World Cup, Achilles, a deaf cat from the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, drew attention by predicting the winner of the opening match between Russia and Saudi Arabia. Achilles chose the dish marked with Russia’s flag. In the same tournament, Rabio, an octopus caught off Hokkaido, Japan, reportedly predicted all three of Japan’s group stage results, attracting further attention. However, such animal predictions are not based on scientific analysis but are intended as events to enhance the excitement and anticipation among fans leading up to the World Cup, a global festival, and thus lack credibility.

On the 10th (local time), one day before the first group stage match between South Korea and the Czech Republic in the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, coaches Hong Myung-bo of South Korea and Miroslav Koubek of the Czech Republic are each leading their teams at their training grounds near Zapopan, Guadalajara, Mexico. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Meanwhile, under the leadership of head coach Hong Myung-bo, the South Korean national football team will play its first Group A match of the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup against the Czech Republic at 11:00 a.m. on June 12. They will face Mexico at 10:00 a.m. on June 19, and South Africa at 10:00 a.m. on June 25. According to the FIFA Match Centre, the match against Mexico is scheduled for June 19 at 01:00 UTC, and the match against South Africa is set for June 25 at 01:00 UTC.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.