Octopus predicts Spain World Cup victory

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OBERHAUSEN, Germany, July 9 (UPI) -- Officials at a German aquarium said the facility's "psychic" octopus has predicted Spain will win the World Cup finale against the Netherlands in South Africa.

Paul the octopus' keepers at the Sea Life Aquarium in Oberhausen said the 2-year-old cephalopod, which has correctly predicted the outcome of all of Germany's games during the 2010 tournament, favors Spain in Sunday's final game against the Netherlands at Johannesburg's Soccer City Stadium, The Guardian reported Friday.

The octopus also predicted Germany will take third place in the tournament by besting Uruguay in Saturday's game.

Stefan Porwoll, manager of the Sea Life Aquarium, said Paul predicts the games by choosing mussels from boxes marked with the flags of the opposing teams.

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero jokingly offered the octopus state protection to guard him against German backlash for predicting the country's previous loss to the Spanish team.

"I am concerned for the octopus. ... I am thinking of sending him a protective team," he said.