Viral Pygmy Hippo from Thailand Predicts Argentina's Triumph over Spain in World Cup Final

Moo Deng, the female pygmy hippo who captivated the world in 2024, made headlines again this Saturday by selecting a watermelon adorned with "ARG" and the Argentine flag. Her choice predicts that Argentina will defeat Spain in the 2026 World Cup final set to take place on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

This famous animal resides at the Khao Kheow Zoo, located about 110 kilometers east of Bangkok in Chonburi province. Moo Deng swiftly decided between two watermelons prepared by her caretakers, each representing one of the finalist teams.

Narongwit Chodchoi, the zoo's director, emphasized that the activity is designed for entertainment and animal welfare. "The purpose is to entertain visitors while providing enrichment and exercise for the animal," he explained, noting that the zoo does not endorse any team or encourage gambling, which is illegal in Thailand.

Moo Deng is no stranger to making predictions. Last Tuesday, in a similar event, she anticipated France and England as finalists, a forecast that did not come true. Spain ousted France 2-0 with goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro, while Argentina came back to defeat England 2-1, with Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez, the latter scoring in added time assisted by Lionel Messi.

Sunday's final will mark a historic showdown: Argentina and Spain have never met in a World Cup final before. The Albiceleste enters as the defending champion after winning the Qatar 2022 tournament, aiming for a second consecutive title. Their key player, Lionel Messi, 39, is the all-time top scorer in World Cup history with 21 goals.

Moo Deng's reputation as an "oracle" extends beyond soccer. In November 2024, she correctly predicted the U.S. presidential election outcome by choosing the fruit marked with Donald Trump's name over Kamala Harris's. Trump has confirmed his presence at the Argentina-Spain final and will participate in the trophy ceremony alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Moo Deng, whose name means "Bouncing Pig" in Thai, was born on July 10, 2024, and became viral at just two months old thanks to videos shared by her caretakers on social media. Her fame tripled zoo visits in the last quarter of 2024, bringing in nearly 600,000 visitors and boosting revenues by 70% to 80%.

The tradition of "oracle" animals in soccer is famously represented by Paul the octopus, who accurately predicted all eight matches he was consulted on during the 2010 South Africa World Cup, including Spain's victory over the Netherlands in the final. If Moo Deng maintains this level of accuracy, Argentina will claim their fourth World Cup title this Sunday.