BBC World Cup co-commentator Danny Murphy has provided the long-awaited conclusion to his 'Bob the Cat' story, revealing that his beloved pet 'went feral' after being recovered. Murphy, a former Fulham and Liverpool midfielder, has been offering co-commentary for the BBC throughout the tournament.
Murphy's Viral Cat Story Originates During Norway vs. Ivory Coast Match
During Norway's round of 32 victory over Ivory Coast, Murphy surprised listeners with a brief tale about a cat that disappeared into the back of a Royal Mail van. The story was met with astonished silence from his broadcasting colleague Steve Bower, but it quickly became a talking point among football fans.
Conclusion Revealed During Spain vs. Austria Broadcast
When paired with Bower again for Spain's round of 32 win over Austria in Los Angeles on Thursday, Murphy disclosed what became of Bob the Cat. Bower prompted the update, saying: 'Just very quickly, because our fans haven’t stopped since our last commentary. When you told the story about your cat, Bob.'
Murphy interrupted: 'Surprisingly, Steve, there has been a lot of interest which has surprised us both. He didn’t actually die we did get him back six or seven weeks later. Unfortunately he’d gone feral and we couldn’t re-integrate him into the home. He ended up living with my friend’s parents in Preston. That was the life he had. He passed away unfortunately many years ago. Thanks for all of your concern, those who have been messaging us.'
Bower concluded: 'R.I.P Bob. Who passed away. Seemingly this week, a national tragedy.'
Cat Story Coincides with Spain's Performance
The finale of the 'Bob the Cat' tale appeared to spark a surge of intensity from the Spain team. They took the lead against Austria with a goal from Mikel Oyarzabal around 20 minutes later, having had a Marc Cucurella goal disallowed in the first half. Oyarzabal scored again in the 89th minute, after Pedro Porro had made it 2-0 for the European Champions.
While Spain's commanding display may be remembered as the tournament enters crucial stages, the closing chapter of the Bob the Cat story could prove to be the most memorable moment of the match.
