When England were defeated by Croatia, it was clear football wasn’t coming home, now furious fans are calling to bring home the bacon - namely that of ‘Marcus the Mystic Pig’, who wrongly chose the team to win.
Marcus was the designated psychic forecast maker for the tournament on popular British topical daily TV show ‘This Morning’, hosted by Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, and went about his routine picks before England’s semi-final versus Croatia on Wednesday.
You heard it here first folks - Mystic Marcus the Psychic Pig says... @England! 🐷🍏🔮 #ENGCRO pic.twitter.com/zpjcfHKFWk
— This Morning (@thismorning) July 11, 2018
The porcine predictor had a flawless record going into the pick that earned the trust and built up the belief of the nation when he chose England to win by opting for a St. George flag placed atop a scattering of apples.
MARCUS THE MYSTIC PIG ON ”THIS MORNING” HAS PICKED ENGLAND AGAIN pic.twitter.com/0HmuyZRKpq
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) July 11, 2018
In reality, England were beaten 2-1 when Ivan Perisic and a 109th-minute Mario Mandzukic winner canceled out a fifth-minute Kieran Trippier free kick, denying the Three Lions a first World Cup final since 1966 - and meaning Marcus was telling porkies.
Superstitious supporters, who had placed great faith in Marcus, even had hope during the game, with the score at 2-1, that things would turn the way of England because of his pick.
MARCUS THE MYSTIC PIG ON ”THIS MORNING” HAS PICKED ENGLAND AGAIN pic.twitter.com/0HmuyZRKpq
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) July 11, 2018
Has Marcus the mystic pig done his England prediction yet? This is the only news I need to see.
— steph (@steph___) July 10, 2018
i still have hope because the psychic pig on This Morning predicted we would win and I don't doubt mystic marcus x #ENGCRO
— han (@fabuloushannahh) July 11, 2018
Marcus the mystic pig just predicted another England win on This Morning so it’s definitely coming home x
— Tegan Crate (@TeganCrate) July 11, 2018
But as soon as the final whistle went and England were knocked out, fans now say Marcus must fry, demanding to see bacon butties made of the porky prediction maker, some even calling for them to be fed to their homecoming heroes.
Will Mystic Marcus 'the pig' turn into bacon now? #ENGCRO #England #WorldCup #ItsNotComingHome
— ANoel 🇬🇩 (@AlvinNoel8) July 13, 2018
Marcus the mystic pig is gonna be on my bloody bacon buttie this weekend! 😫😫 @thismorning #mysticmarcusgotitwrong
— Chlo 💁🏽 (@chloe19930) July 11, 2018
Marcus the mystic pig can bugger off and get on my bacon sarni in morning🖕🏼🖕🏼
— LH (@Laurennnnn28) July 11, 2018
Anyone else think mystic marcus the prediction pig should be chopped up for bacon now 🤣😂 @thismorning
— ♡ Ķa∂ΐε Ƒяaмρtση♡ (@kadieframpton) July 11, 2018
We were so certain it was coming home !! Hope Marcus the mystic pig 🐷 is on a spit roast fancy a bacon sandwich to lift my spirits @xenauk27
— Anna Harrington (@xenauk27) July 11, 2018
Odds on Marcus the mystic pig being a packet of bacon today
— Kyle Williams (@kyle_williams26) July 12, 2018
Wonder if Marcus the Mystic Pig has become Marcus the Delicious Hog Roast yet?
— David Watson (@filmthug) July 12, 2018
When you realise Marcus The Mystic Pig got the predictions wrong🥓🔫 #WorldCup #ENGCRO pic.twitter.com/fPEosbs29q
— Jack Batchelor (@JackBatchelor3) July 11, 2018
Marcus the Mystic Pig selected England to win. I put my trust in him and now I’m heartbroken. I hope the little shit-weasel gets turned in to bacon butties and fed to Southgate and the lads on their flight home. 🐷 🏴 🥓 ✈️ #England #ThreeLions
— Adrian Berry (@Mucca85) July 12, 2018
Mystic Marcus the psychic pig is bacon tomorrow !!!!!#Itsnotcominghome #EngvsCro #ENG #Bacon #Sausage #Breakfast
— Colin (@mrb7dt) July 11, 2018
Just because Paul the Octpus was killed in 2010, doesn’t mean we need to kill Marcus the Mystic Pig 🐷 But also, Bacon 🥓
— Dan Beddard (@DanBeddard) July 12, 2018
The show even poked fun at the rabid requests by opening the show with Willoughby flicking through the morning front pages with the sound of sizzling in the background, before the camera pans to Schofield, who dryly says, “your bacon’s ready.”
This is how #ThisMorning started their show this morning pic.twitter.com/tccVf3Xcvb
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) July 12, 2018
Other famous psychic animals have included Paul the Octopus and for Russia 2018, a mystic deaf cat from St. Petersburg's Hermitage Museum was tasked with picking the winner of each game.