Categories: Football

Famous OGC Nice eagle mascot and trainer blasted by sprinkler

We're sure this wasn't meant to happen. / Jonathan Moscrop/GettyImages

There are few mascots in world football as instantly recognisable as Mefi â€“ the eagle of OGC Nice, who mirrors the clubâ€s crest and performs a dramatic flight around the Allianz Riviera before kick-off.

The spectacle was once again on show ahead of Niceâ€s Europa League clash with AS Roma on Thursday, but what was supposed to be a display of power and pride quickly turned into a far more comical scene.

As Mefi swooped down towards her trainer, who was preparing to hand her a treat, one of the pitch sprinklers suddenly roared to life at full blast. Both bird and trainer were instantly soaked, the jets firing with such force that the trainer was left scrambling to pull out his drenched in-ear headphones.

Poor Mefi. / Jonathan Moscrop/GettyImages

For a split second he looked completely taken aback, before breaking into a smile and giving the crowd a reassuring thumbs-up. Remarkably, Mefi herself seemed unbothered by the sudden soaking, continuing her routine with poise â€“ though itâ€s safe to assume the eagle didnâ€t enjoy the mistimed shower.

The mishap drew plenty of laughter, but for Franck Haiseâ€s side the night went downhill from there. Nice slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Roma, watched on by owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe â€“ whose INEOS group also owns Manchester United.

Just as Mefiâ€s pre-match plan went awry, so too did Niceâ€s, leaving the home supporters drenched in disappointment rather than celebration.

Nice’s eagle, MÃ¨fi, got blasted by the pitch sprinkler pre-game ðŸ˜ pic.twitter.com/Ui3b1BHGcq

â€” Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 24, 2025

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Lajina Hossain

Lajina Hossain is a full-time game analyst and sports strategist with expertise in both video games and real-life sports. From FIFA, PUBG, and Counter-Strike to cricket, football, and basketball – she has an in-depth understanding of the rules, strategies, and nuances of each game. Her sharp analysis has made her a trusted voice among readers. With a background in Computer Science, she is highly skilled in game mechanics and data analysis. She regularly writes game reviews, tips & tricks, and gameplay strategies for 6up.net.