World Cup notes: Paul the octopus wraps his tentacles around Spain in Sunday's final.
The prognosticating sea creature, which correctly predicted the outcome of every game Germany played in this World Cup, including the semifinal loss to Spain, sticks with the Spaniards against the Dutch in the championship game.
By Grahame L. Jones and Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times
Reporting from Johannesburg, South Africa —
Paul the octopus has spoken — sort of — and he says Spain will win Sunday's World Cup final.
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Paul the octopus selects Spain to win World Cup..:lol:
The mind-bending mollusk, who has yet to miss a World Cup prediction, ignored a tank marked with a Dutch flag Friday and instead descended on one with a Spanish flag, reaching in to grab a mussel and devour it as TV cameras from Germany, Great Britain, Taiwan and elsewhere looked on.
It was the first time the octopus, who lives in an aquarium in the western German city of Oberhausen, has been asked to pick a game in which Germany was not involved. But in his nearly 2½ years as an oracle, dating to the 2008 European Championship, he has called 11 of 12 matches correctly. In the World Cup he predicted Germany would beat Argentina, England, Australia and Ghana but also called losses to Serbia and Spain.
Paul's fame has earned him his own Facebook page in addition to calls to lend his special powers. A Greek reporter asked whether Paul could predict the end of his country's financial crisis, while in the Middle East commentators sought to have Paul choose the next Iraqi prime minister.
Nevertheless Paul's prestige is being questioned in the animal kingdom. In Singapore, Mani, a World Cup-forecasting parakeet, is picking the Netherlands to win Sunday.
Consolation game
It's not the way either team hoped to end its World Cup, but Saturday's game between Germany and Uruguay in Port Elizabeth will decide third place in the tournament.
For German striker
Miroslav Klose, one goal would tie him with Brazilian striker
Ronaldo for most World Cup goals ever with 15. And Uruguay's
Diego Forlan, Klose and German teammate
Thomas Mueller, with four goals each, remain in the running for the Golden Boot, which goes to the tournament's top scorer.
Spain's
David Villa and Holland's
Wesley Sneijder go into Sunday's final sharing the lead with five goals apiece.