Danny Murphy has finally closed the chapter on his viral 'Bob the Cat' story, revealing that his beloved pet 'went feral' after disappearing into a Royal Mail van. The former Fulham and Liverpool midfielder, who has been on co-commentary duty for the BBC during the World Cup, first shared the bizarre anecdote during Norway's narrow round of 32 victory over Ivory Coast.
How the Bob the Cat Story Went Viral
During the match, Murphy unexpectedly told his broadcast partner Steve Bower: 'I used to have a cat called Bob. Yeah, he jumped in the back of a Royal Mail van, and we lost him.' The comment was met with stunned silence from Bower, but football fans around the world latched onto the strange tale, turning it into one of the most talked-about moments of the tournament.
Days later, when Murphy and Bower were reunited for Spain's victory over Austria, Bower pressed for an update. 'Just very quickly, because our fans haven't stopped since our last commentary. When you told the story about your cat, Bob,' Bower said. Murphy interrupted: 'Surprisingly, Steve, there has been a lot of interest which has surprised us both.'
The Full Story of Bob the Cat
Murphy then revealed the full truth: '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 added a touching epitaph: 'R.I.P Bob. Who passed away. Seemingly this week, a national tragedy.'
Impact on the Match
The climax of the Bob the Cat story seemed to spark a burst of aggression from the Spanish side. They took the lead through Mikel Oyarzabal about 20 minutes later, and Pedro Porro made it 2-0 before Oyarzabal scored again in the 89th minute. Despite Spain's clinical performance, the final chapter of Bob the Cat may be the most memorable moment of the game for many fans.
