Our Mystic Meerkats’ Return
England fans can breathe a sigh of relief - Drusillas Park's famous 'Mystic Meerkats' are back and they’re predicting a win for the Three Lions against DR Congo in Wednesday's FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash!
The Sussex zoo's football-predicting meerkats have returned after a highly successful run of predictions at previous international tournaments. They correctly called every England result during UEFA Euro 2024 right up until the final, making them one of the country's most unlikely - but surprisingly accurate - football pundits.
England arrive in the knockout stages unbeaten after topping Group L, having opened with a victory over Croatia before drawing with Ghana and defeating Panama to finish on seven points. While Thomas Tuchel's side have been praised for their defence, some pundits have questioned whether England have yet hit top gear. Despite those concerns, they remain among the favourites to lift the trophy, with most analysts expecting them to have too much quality for DR Congo on Wednesday, and the Mystic Meerkats agree!
As always, the prediction involved placing two buckets filled with sweetcorn and peanuts, irresistible treats for the meerkats, into their habitat; each decorated with one team's flag. The meerkats are left to decide which feast looks most appealing and whichever bucket attracts the largest gathering is declared the predicted winner.
The meerkats initially took their time approaching the buckets before one adventurous individual wandered over to inspect the DR Congo bucket, briefly raising fears of an upset. Moments later, however, the rest of the mob charged in, completely ignoring the DR Congo offering and piling enthusiastically into the England bucket instead.
If the Mystic Meerkats are to be believed, England supporters may have a few nervous moments early on before the Three Lions ultimately cruise to victory.
Jamie Fryer, Deputy Head Keeper at Drusillas Park, said: "The meerkats have built up quite a reputation over the last few tournaments, so we thought it was only right to bring them back for the World Cup knockout stages.
"They certainly kept us guessing this time. One brave meerkat wandered over to the DR Congo bucket first and had us wondering whether an upset was on the cards, but the rest of the group had other ideas and made a beeline for England. In the end it wasn't even close.
"England have looked solid so far in the tournament. They might not have been at their best in every game, but they've got through the group unbeaten and have players who can change a match in an instant. If our meerkats are right, there could be an early scare for the fans before England settle down and book their place in the next round."
The ‘Mystic Meerkats’ first shot to fame during the delayed Euros tournament in 2021 and have continued making predictions for major international tournaments ever since. Keepers say the animals now recognise the buckets immediately and become visibly excited whenever they appear, chirping enthusiastically as they race over to investigate.
Although it might seem an unusual way to predict football results, the activity forms part of the zoo’s enrichment programme, which encourages the meerkats to forage and problem-solve in ways that mimic their natural behaviours in the wild.
England face DR Congo in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 on Wednesday, with a place in the last 16 up for grabs. If the Mystic Meerkats' remarkable record is anything to go by, England fans should be preparing for another step towards World Cup glory.