FIFA World Cup 2010 is finally over and Octopus Paul has really stolen the limelight from all the soccer stars. Despite being dismissed as pure fluke, Paul has defied all odds and achieved a 100% correct track record in his World Cup predictions. For the grand final, a lot of cynics worldwide bet their money against Paul and threw their support behind Netherlands based on their perceived superiority of Netherlands over Spain.

And Paul is having the last laugh now. Spain, Paul�s choice to win the world cup, beat Netherlands 1-0 through an extra time goal by Andres Iniesta in the 116th minute to win their first world cup title.What a heart-stopping game it has been! The photo below is taken from ESPN Soccernet.

Andres Iniesta celebrates his winning goal!

Those who have faithfully followed Paul�s predictions when they placed their bets are now grinning from ear to ear. What a bonanza world cup this has been for them!

Fans who had placed bets based on Paul's predictions are grinning like this dog now!

It is truly amazing that an octopus can pull off such a feat. I know it is probably just coincidence but the coincidence borders on eeriness. I would not be surprised at all if Paul is featured in a show like �Ripley�s Believe It Or Not� in the near future. And Paul has put to rest the widely-held notion that a single person is too insignificant to make an impact in this world. An octopus can make such an impact in this world so humans should not seek refuge behind the excuse that they are too small to make an impact in this world.

Paul, thank you for livening up this World Cup and hope you will still be here to keep us entertained when the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup comes around. A backlash against you by incensed soccer fans will see many of your cousins ending up on dining tables as charred octopus, octopus ravioli, grilled octopus, octopus calamari and the like. But we are consoled by the knowledge that you will be well-protected at the Oberhausen Sea Life Aquarium. In case you really feel the need to migrate, Spain will welcome you with wide open arms.

Octopus ravioli

Octopus salad

Octopus in cooking pan

Grilled octopus

This world cup will also be remembered for the vuvuzelas.� The popularity of the vuvuzelas resulted in brisk sales worldwide and many far-sighted sellers on Ebay saw sales of vuvuzelas shoot through the roof. I personally bought one yellow vuvuzela from an Ebay seller based in Hong Kong a couple of days ago but I will probably have to wait another week or longer before I can receive it. I am really curious as to how loud the horn can be. And it will be a great souvenir to remind me of this world cup in years to come.

A vuvuzela

There has been a lot of curiousity as to the origins of the vuvuzelas.� And someone sent me this email about the possible origins of this noisy horn.

Origin of the vuvuzela?

But I cannot see how the “vuvuzela” in this photo can be blown unless the man’s “little brother”� has some special power. To verify that, you would need to fly to Papua New Guinea.

It’s already 5.10am here in Malaysia. I have not slept any wink for the whole night but it has been worth it. I will catch up on my sleep in a few hours’ time. Have a great week!

Octopus Paul proved yet again why he has been accorded the title of Oracle Paul when his choice for the Germany-Uruguay match lived up to his prediction. Germany beat Uruguay 3-2 after coming from behind in a pulsating match in Port Elizabeth to secure third place for the second successive World Cup.

Germany’s midfielder Sami Khedira headed in the winning goal in the game that saw both Thomas Muller and Diego Forlan move onto five goals for the tournament.

Sami Khedira's Winning Header Goal (photo taken from ESPN Soccernet)

With his prediction materialising yet again, Paul has thus continued to maintain a 100% correct record in his predictions for this World Cup. It could be pure fluke but there is no doubt that Paul has undeniably become the star of this world cup tournament. The most intriguing question now is whether Paul will again be right in his prediction for the Spain-Holland final. Will Spain really lift the FIFA World Cup 2010 championship trophy as predicted by Paul?� The whole world waits with bated breath!

Octopus Paul has made his prediction for the World Cup 2010 finals and he is going to make lots of enemies in Netherlands with his latest prediction. Paul has predicted that Spain will be the FIFA World Cup champions while Germany will beat Uruguay to bag the third place.

The octopus, who has now attained almost celebrity status worldwide, chose the winners of World Cup’s two remaining games at an event held in Germany. He was first asked to predict the outcome of tomorrow’s Germany-Uruguay clash.

Two boxes, one with Germany’s flag and the other Uruguay’s, were lowered into Paul’s water tank. Paul took his sweet time to make his prediction, keeping fans and the media in anticipation as he fiddled with the two boxes for a while. Initially it looked as if Paul was going to choose Uruguay but he finally opened the lid of the box containing the German flag and ate the food inside – his standard way of signalling the winner.

Then Paul did what the whole world has been waiting for: his prediction for the Spain-Netherlands final. Paul feasted from the plastic box containing the Spanish flag. Octopus Paul has made his choice.

Spain will be the World Cup 2010 champion!