‘I looked like a genius’: Braves’ Harris talks spot-on England prediction
Michael Harris II has caught World Cup fever.
The Braves’ star center fielder accurately predicted the score of England’s 3-2 win over Mexico in the round of 16 on Sunday. Harris arrived at Truist Park Monday donning an England home jersey after the win.
Harris made his call of a 3-2 final score in England’s favor while he was being interviewed before the Braves game on Sunday.
His prediction came true later in the day following a converted penalty kick from Mexico’s Raul Jimenez, which brought the score to what Harris predicted: 3-2 in favor of England. All Harris needed was a 10-men England side to hold on as El Tri mercilessly delivered crosses into the box.
And they did.
“I was hoping for the next 15 minutes that nobody scored,” Harris said. “I looked like a genius.”
With a win against Norway in the World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday, England would return to Atlanta for a World Cup semifinal. The newfound Three Lions fan has a potential July 15 trip to Mercedes-Benz Stadium (known as Atlanta Stadium during the tournament) circled on his calendar.
“Now I’m an England fan. Invested, watching the whole game and biting my nails at the end,” Harris said.
Three Lions fans in the outfield at Truist Park serenaded Harris with chants and gifted him a jersey, after their team came back from a goal down and stunned DR Congo 2-1 in Atlanta last Wednesday. Harris tossed the conglomerate a ball between innings while they relentlessly chanted his name in song.
“It was crazy. At first, I didn’t know what they were fully saying, but then I heard my name incorporated into it,” Harris said. “Throughout the game, I knew what they were saying the whole time after.”
While Harris went back into the clubhouse and hung out with family, England fans stayed, in hopes of garnering further recognition from the Braves star.
When he came back out to the field, the crowd remained.
“It just shows how strong England is,” he said.