ST. PETERSBURG, June 11. /TASS/: Achilles, St. Petersburg’s Hermitage oracle cat, has prophesied that Italy will win over Turkey in the opening match of Euro 2020. The cat delivered the first prediction on Friday in the St. Petersburg championship press center.
"The match outcome has been predicted, Italians will win in a blowout," the ceremony presenter said.
Bowls with cat food were traditionally placed before Achilles next to flags of Italy and Turkey, and the cat made his choice.
The cat’s owner, vet for Hermitage cats Anna Kondratyeva, earlier told TASS that Achilles the cat would only be asked to use psychic powers to predict outcomes of the matches that would be played in St. Petersburg. His next predictions will take place on June 12, 14 and 16 in the Hermitage Museum. Achilles will prophesy results of the matches between Belgium and Russia, Poland and Slovakia, as well as Finland and Russia.
Oracle cat
Achilles, snow shite Hermitage cat with blue eyes, began his career as an oracle in 2017 during the CAF Confederation Cup. Museum employees picked him before every other contender for his ability to analyze things and unusual behavior. The cat correctly prophesied outcomes of three out of four cup games which were held in St. Petersburg, including the opening one and the final.
Achilles further showcased his gift at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He predicted the winner of the first four matches without a single mistake. He was recognized as one of the best world cup oracles due to these results but then the cat lost his edge, failing to pick the eventual winner in three straight matches. Nevertheless, Achilles’s foretelling shows were attracting a lot of attention of fans and journalists.
