TORONTO — A pint-sized oranda goldfish is turning heads in downtown Toronto, drawing soccer fans and curious passersby alike with his daily World Cup match forecasts delivered straight from a custom-built underwater soccer pitch.
The fish, dubbed Swimbappe — a nod to French national team captain Kylian Mbappe — lives in a tank styled to look like a soccer field, displayed prominently outside an office building in the heart of the city.
Each day, the bright orange fish positions himself at center field and then swims either left or right to indicate which team he thinks will win that day’s match. Flags representing competing nations hang above the tank, and a small but enthusiastic crowd typically counts down before Swimbappe delivers his underwater verdict.
So far, the little oracle has gotten it right 14 times, been wrong just four times, and recorded 10 draws.
Tim Glenn, creative director at OneMethod and one of the people who came up with the concept, acknowledged that the draws present a unique communication challenge. “The draws are a little bit difficult for him to communicate to us with his fish body,” Glenn said.
Swimbappe joins a long line of animal sports predictors. Perhaps the most famous was Paul the Octopus, who became an international sensation during the 2010 World Cup for his seemingly uncanny ability to forecast outcomes of Germany’s matches. Orangutans and elephants have also taken turns in the prediction spotlight over the years.
Glenn, a soccer enthusiast, said he wanted to create something fun and engaging for the public during this year’s tournament. His team worked through nearly 100 potential names — including Finaldo — before settling on Swimbappe. “This is kind of our way of participating in this big cultural moment that’s happening for our city here in Toronto and also for our country here in Canada,” Glenn said.
Animals have been leaving their mark on this summer’s tournament in other ways too. In Mexico City, a white-feathered duck named Merlin caused a stir after being spotted wandering city streets dressed in a tiny Mexico jersey. Meanwhile, a duck named Dawn joined Scotland’s Tartan Army during a pre-match bagpipe procession in Providence, Rhode Island.
Back in Toronto, Swimbappe continues to reel in admirers. “Everyone’s excited to see him in the window on their way to work or on their way to a game,” Glenn said, adding that the warm reception has exceeded his expectations.
On Friday, a group of schoolchildren marched past chanting “Swimbappe! Swimbappe!” Just moments before, a small cluster of onlookers had gathered to watch the fish weigh in on the Group C clash between Brazil and Haiti scheduled for later that day. Swimbappe swam to his right, backing heavy underdogs Haiti to pull off the upset.
“There’s a method to his madness,” Glenn said. “We just have to trust his process and believe in Swimbappe.”
