Soccer-Oracle orangutan backs Germany for Euros win against Scotland

DORTMUND, Germany - Euro 2024 hosts Germany are on course for a narrow victory in their opening match against Scotland - according to an oracle orangutan at Dortmund Zoo.

Walter, 35, is no stranger to predicting the outcome of football matches, and is a veteran of previous World Cup and Euros campaigns, as well as German and European club competitions.

On Thursday two buckets were placed in his enclosure, one with a Germany scarf, one with a Scotland scarf.

"Walter stopped in front of the buckets, and then he took a look at both and he was very strictly going to the German bucket, so I think it must be a victory for the German team against Scotland. But then he went to the Scottish bucket, so may be the Scottish will be very close too," said zoo spokesperson Marcel Stawinoga.

The tournament starts on Friday in Munich, and Germany will start as strong favourites against Scotland.

Walter joins a list of creatures as differing as an octopus and an elephant, that have predicted the outcomes of international soccer matches, usually by picking one bowl of food bearing a team's flag over another.

Among the most famous was Paul the oracle octopus who lived in an aquarium in the German city of Oberhausen, and who shot to fame in the 2010 World Cup for his uncanny ability to predict the results of Germany's matches. He correctly forecast how Germany would fare in seven matches.

Source: Reuters