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2018 FIFA WORLD CUP IN RUSSIA

Hermitage cat predicts Switzerland will defeat Sweden at World Cup

The oracle cat confidently approached a bowl with food with Switzerland’s flag at the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg

© Pyotr Kovalev/TASS

ST.PETERSBURG, July 3. /TASS/. Achilles, a white-furred Hermitage male cat reputed to have psychic powers, has predicted that Switzerland’s team will win a match vs Sweden in the FIFA World Cup’s Round of 16 in St. Petersburg on Tuesday.

The oracle cat confidently approached a bowl with food with Switzerland’s flag at the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, and ate the food.

Read also

Feline fortune-teller: Hermitage cat named among best oracles of FIFA World Cup

Last time, the blue-eyed cat, who had made flawless predictions for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, was wrong when forecasting the outcome of a match between Nigeria and Argentina, and now the feline has to confirm his psychic powers.

The cat was correct in choosing the Russian national team as the winner over Saudi Arabia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup’s opener in Moscow on June 14 and also the outcomes of the matches at the stadium in St. Petersburg. Achilles also predicted the victory of Iran’s team over Morocco on June 15, Russia’s victory over Egypt on June 19 and Brazil’s victory over Costa Rica on June 22. During a match between Argentina and Nigeria, Achilles chose Nigeria, but Argentina won 2-1.

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World Cup oracle cat predicts Russian team’s victory in FIFA World Cup opening match

Achilles had been selected as the animal oracle because he displayed analytical capabilities and unique behavior. Moreover, Achilles is deaf as many white cats are, yet this impairment does not sidetrack the feline and lets him better concentrate on his predictions.

The Hermitage cat was right about the outcomes of three out of four 2017 Confederations Cup matches played in St. Petersburg, including the opening and final matches. His "performance" during the World Cup is a joint project on bolstering tourism to St. Petersburg and the Hermitage Museum.

Achilles will predict the results of the World Cup’s semifinal and a match for the third place due to be held in St. Petersburg on July 10 and July 14.

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2018 World Cup in Russia

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