World Cup official animal soothsayer foresees Iran’s victory over Morocco
Achilles, a deaf white cat which is the official animal soothsayer for the 2018 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup in Russia has predicted that the Iran men’s national football team will emerge triumphant in its opener against Morocco.
On Friday, the blue-eyed feline did not hesitate to eat from the bowl with Iran’s flag when it was offered two bowls with food, and Iran and Moroccan national teams at the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg.
Earlier, Achilles was correct in choosing the Russian national team as the winner of the 2018 World Cup Group A football match against Saudi Arabia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. Russia thrashed Saudi Arabia 5-0.
Achilles is usually part of a team of dozens of cats that guard Saint Petersburg’s Hermitage museum from rodents, but has taken on a new role for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
On Friday, Egypt will play Uruguay in a Group A fixture at the Central Stadium of Ekaterinburg. Morocco will take on Iran in a Group B match at Saint Petersburg’s Krestovsky Stadium.
Portugal will face Spain in a Group B encounter at Fisht Olympic Stadium of Sochi.
During the official 2018 FIFA World Cup draw ceremony at Kremlin State Palace in the Russian capital city of Moscow on December 1 last year, the host nation, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Uruguay were put in Group A in the preliminary round of the tournament.
The Iran men's national football team, nicknamed Team Melli, has joined Portugal’s A Selecção, Spain’s La Furia Roja and Atlas Lions of Morocco.
France is drawn in Group C, and is pitted against Australia, Peru and Denmark.
Argentina, Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria are drawn in Group D.
Group E consists of Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia.
While the 2014 FIFA World Cup champion Germany, Mexico, Sweden and South Korea shape Group F, Belgium, Panama, Tunisia and England are in Group G.
Group H has Poland, Senegal, Colombia and Japan.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 14 to July 15. Russia will open the event against Saudi Arabia in a Group A fixture at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium.
A total of 64 matches will be played in 12 venues located in 11 cities.
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