Ahead of the highly anticipated Africa Cup of Nations semi-final clash, an unusual predictor has captured the attention of football fans online. A viral video featuring a parrot selecting the likely winner between Nigeria's Super Eagles and Morocco's Atlas Lions has sparked widespread debate and reactions across social media platforms.
The Feathered Fortune Teller's Choice
The video, which surfaced online just days before the crucial match scheduled for Wednesday, January 15, 2025, shows the parrot's owner, TikTok user @pronos.maskey_, conducting a unique prediction ritual. Two papers, one bearing the name Nigeria and the other Morocco, were placed before the bird. In the now-trending clip, the parrot is seen moving towards and selecting one of the papers, an act interpreted by many as forecasting the victorious team.
This incident is part of a growing trend where animals are being used to predict football match outcomes. Legit.ng recently compiled a list featuring three such animals, with this parrot being among them. The owner's method involved presenting the national flags or names of the two competing nations and allowing the parrot to make its choice, a moment that was captured and shared widely.
Mixed Reactions from Passionate Fans
The parrot's prediction has ignited a firestorm of comments from supporters of both teams, each interpreting the event to suit their hopes. The reactions highlight the intense passion surrounding the upcoming game.
Some Nigerian fans expressed unwavering confidence in their team regardless of the animal's choice. A user named KCBLACK40 declared, "I'm a Nigerian and we're bringing the AFCON CUP to Nigeria." Another supporter, bigpelu01, stated defiantly, "But know this no matter how your bird role ,,we’re the super eagle ? eagles fly higher ,,,Im claiming a win for Nigeria."
Other comments reflected the tension and humor of the moment. vicky villa simply noted, "No problem we will see on 14-01-2026," while tinalivechinyeregmail.co observed, "Both cats and birds are predicting Morocco to win, none has gone in favour of Nigeria. super eagles pls prove them all wrong." A user named Temasly offered a critical analysis of the prediction method itself, arguing, "The prediction is only correct when the bird use its beak on the flag. Morroco is losing."
Other Predictions Add to the Pre-Match Drama
The parrot is not the only one making headlines with forecasts for this high-stakes match. The original report by Muhammed Hammed Olayinka for Legit.ng mentions several other predictions that have gone viral.
In one instance, a prophet boldly stated that Nigeria would secure victory within the regular 90 minutes, with no need for extra time. In another fascinating case, a young man asked an artificial intelligence tool to predict the likely goal scorers. The AI responded by naming Victor Osimhen for Nigeria and Achraf Hakimi for Morocco, while also predicting a 1-1 draw.
Additionally, a separate video showed a man using tennis eggs to predict the outcome, and another individual confidently shared exact score predictions for the semi-final. These varied forecasts, from the spiritual to the technological and the absurd, have all contributed to the immense buildup and global interest in the match.
As the football world turns its eyes towards the semi-final, the viral parrot video serves as a reminder of the cultural phenomenon that major sporting events become. Whether the feathered forecaster is correct will be revealed when the Super Eagles and the Atlas Lions face off on the pitch.
