The 2026 FIFA World Cup has brought intense matches, but an unexpected feline celebrity is stealing the spotlight in Belgium. Maximus Textoris Pulcher, a grumpy grey Scottish Fold rescue cat belonging to Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, has gone viral as a self-proclaimed "psychic oracle" for the tournament. Dubbed "Octopussy" in honor of the famous predicting octopus from 2010, Maximus casts his predictions on Instagram by choosing between food bowls decorated as football pitches. With over 228,000 followers, this furry political influencer currently boasts a larger social media following than his prime minister owner.
Despite his massive online fame, Maximus’s career as a football prophet is off to a rocky start. While he correctly predicted Mexico’s victory over South Africa, his future-telling skills fell flat when it came to his home country. In a highly anticipated match, Maximus confidently chose his native Belgium to beat Egypt, only for the "Red Devils" to end the game in a disappointing draw. He also suffered a major predictive blunder by choosing Spain to beat Cape Verde, completely missing the underdogs' incredible tie against the European champions.
You can read the full story about this hilarious sports oracle on The Telegraph.
