Octopus Paul Scared for His Life, Forecasts Win for Germany

Paul the Octopus made correct predictions for Germany's defeats over Australia, Ghana, England, and Argentina, as well as the defeats by Serbia and Spain. Photo by EPA/BGNES

On Friday, Paul the Octopus forecast Germany's defeat over Uruguay for the third place in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The psychic cephalopod from Sea Life in Oberhausen, western Germany, became a World Cup phenomenon after correctly predicting the result in all Germany's matches.

Sea Life staff help Paul make his prediction by lowering two boxes of food into his tank, one carrying a German flag and the other bearing that of their opponents. The case he opens first is adjudged to be his predicted winner.

However, after his prediction about Germany's defeat to Spain turned out correct, German football fans have called upon grilling the Octopus.

“Throw him in the frying pan with burning oil,” the German “Berliner Kurier” called upon, followed by similar headlines in other German media like “Die Welt”, “Zuddeutsche Zeitung” and “Hamburger Abendblatt”.

However, the speaker of the aquarium in Oberhausen, Tanja Munzig, assured Paul will not be cooked.

“Not only we will not cook him, but he might even start a career. We already have a few requests for him. In any case, Paul did a great performance at the World Cup,” Munzig said.

Although Germany will not be playing at the final of the World Cup, Paul is expected to make his last forecast whether the Netherlands or Spain will be the 2010 FIFA World Cup champions.