View source for Paul the Octopus

{{short description|Common octopus who predicted the results of association football matches}}
{{Infobox animal
| name                    = Paul
| image                   = Oktopus-Orakel Paul mit Schuh.JPG
| caption                 = Paul, next to a football boot with the German flag colours, in his [[aquarium|tank]]
| species                 = ''[[Octopus vulgaris]]''
| breed                   =
| gender                  = Male
| hatch_date              = 26 January 2008
| hatch_place             = [[Weymouth, Dorset|Weymouth, England]]
| othername               = Paul Oktopus, Die Krake Paul
| death_date              = 26 October 2010 (aged 2)
| death_place             = [[Oberhausen, Germany]]
| known                   = Successfully predicting results of [[Association football|football]] matches
| awards                  =
| owner                   = [[Sea Life Centres]]
|namedafter  =  ''Der Tintenfisch Paul Oktopus'' – poem by [[Boy Lornsen]]
| weight                  =
| website                 =
}}

'''Paul the Octopus'''  (26 January 2008<ref>{{cite news|title=Muere el pulpo Paul [Paul the Octopus dies]|url=http://elpais.com/elpais/2010/10/26/actualidad/1288075732_850215.html|access-date=18 June 2014|work=[[El País]]|date=26 October 2010}}</ref>&nbsp;– 26 October 2010) was a [[common octopus]] who predicted the results of international [[association football]] matches. Accurate predictions in the [[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010 World Cup]] brought him worldwide attention as an [[Oracular animal|animal oracle]].

During [[divination]]s, Paul's keepers would present him with two food-containing boxes decorated with the flags of the teams in an upcoming match. Whichever box Paul ate from first was considered his prediction for which team would win the match.

His keepers at the [[Sea Life Centres|Sea Life Centre]] in [[Oberhausen]], Germany, mainly tasked him with predicting the outcomes of international matches in which the [[Germany national football team|German team]] was playing. Paul correctly chose the winning team in four of Germany's six [[2008 UEFA European Football Championship|Euro 2008]] matches, and all seven of their matches in the 2010 World Cup—including Germany's third place play-off win over Uruguay on 10 July. He also correctly chose Spain as the winner of the [[2010 FIFA World Cup final]].<ref>Christenson, Marcus. [https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/09/psychic-octopus-paul-picks-spain "Psychic octopus Paul predicts Spain to beat Holland in World Cup final"], ''[[The Guardian]]'', 9 July 2010.</ref> In all, Paul amassed an overall record of 12 correct predictions out of 14: a success rate of approximately 85.7%.

== Life ==
[[File:Oktopus-Orakel Paul.JPG|thumb|left|Paul in his tank, 2010]]
Paul was hatched from an egg at the Sea Life Centre in [[Weymouth, Dorset|Weymouth]], England, and was then moved to a tank at one of the chain's centres at [[Oberhausen]] in Germany.<ref name="10things">{{citation|title=''World Cup 2010: 10 things you didn't know about Paul the psychic octopus'' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/7877034/World-Cup-2010-10-things-you-didnt-know-about-Paul-the-psychic-octopus.html |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=7 July 2010 |access-date=12 June 2014 |location=London |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140622175607/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/7877034/World-Cup-2010-10-things-you-didnt-know-about-Paul-the-psychic-octopus.html |archive-date=22 June 2014 }}</ref> Paul's name derived from the title of a poem by the German children's writer [[Boy Lornsen]]: ''Der [[:wikt:Tintenfisch|Tintenfisch]] Paul Oktopus''.<ref>Published in ''Das alte Schwein lebt immer noch: Boy Lornsens Tierleben'', Schneekluth (1985), {{ISBN|978-3795109417}}. Republished in and eponymous with the anthology ''Der Tintenfisch Paul Oktopus. Gedichte für neugierige Kinder'', 2009, Manfred Boje Verlag {{ISBN|9783414821485}}</ref>

According to Sea Life's entertainment director, Daniel Fey, Paul demonstrated intelligence early in life:
"There was something about the way he looked at our visitors when they came close to the tank. It was so unusual, so we tried to find out what his special talents were."<ref>{{cite web |url= http://metro.co.uk/2010/07/09/paul-the-world-cup-psychic-octopus-rock-the-week-442393/ |title=Paul the World Cup 'psychic' octopus: Rock The Week &#124 |work=[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]]|location=UK |year=2014 |access-date=12 June 2014}}</ref>

The animal rights organisation [[PETA]] commented that octopuses are some of the most intelligent of invertebrates, with complex thought processes, long- and short-term memories, and different personalities. They can use tools, learn through observation, and are particularly sensitive to pain, according to the group. They said it would be cruel to keep Paul in permanent confinement. Sea Life Centres responded that it would be dangerous to release him, because he was born in captivity, and was not accustomed to finding food for himself.<ref>{{Citation | last = Ruf | first = Cory | title = PETA demands Paul, the World Cup-predicting octopus, be set free | url =http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/07/08/peta-free-paul-the-octopus/ | work=National Post | date = 8 July 2010 | access-date = 9 July 2010}}</ref>

Following Paul's rise to fame, businessmen in Carballiño, a community in [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]], collected about €30,000 for a "transfer fee" to get Paul as main attraction of the local ''Fiesta del Pulpo'' festival.<ref>[http://www.ftd.de/sport/wm-2010/splitter/:tentakel-orakel-spanier-bieten-30-000-euro-abloesesumme-fuer-pulpo-paul/50142238.htmlSpanier bieten 30.000 Euro Ablösesumme für "Pulpo Paul"]{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} FTD 10 July 2010</ref> Manuel Pazo, a fisherman and head of the local business club assured people that Paul would be presented alive in a tank and not on the menu. Sea Life rejected the offer nevertheless.<ref>[http://www.fr-online.de/panorama/konkurrenzkampf-kraken-orakel-vs--propheten-papagei,1472782,4489928.html Kraken-Orakel vs. Propheten-Papagei] FR online nach einer DPA Meldung, 8 July 2010</ref>
{{wikinews|Paul the 'psychic' octopus dies in Germany}}
Paul was last checked by staff on 25 October 2010, and was in good health, but the following morning he was found dead. He was aged two-and-a-half, a normal lifespan for the species. His agent, Chris Davies, said "It's a sad day. Paul was rather special but we managed to film Paul before he left this mortal earth". Sea Life Centre manager Stefan Porwoll remembered Paul as an octopus who had "enthused people across every continent".<ref name="BBCdeath">{{cite news|date=26 October 2010|title=Paul the World Cup octopus dies in his tank in Germany|publisher=BBC|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11626050|access-date=22 February 2013}}</ref><ref name="GuardianDeath">{{cite news|last1=Branigan|first1=Tania|last2=Connolly|first2=Kate|last3=Jones|first3=Sam|date=26 October 2010|title=Paul the octopus is dead – but conspiracy theories are thriving|work=The Guardian|location=London|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/oct/26/paul-octopus-dead-psychic-world|access-date=22 February 2013}}</ref>

== Divination ==
[[File:Paul the Octopus.jpg|thumb|Paul choosing Spain over Germany for his 2010 semi-final prediction]]
Paul's career as an oracle began during the [[UEFA Euro 2008]] tournament.<ref name="10things" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=2831&art_id=nw20100706122010966C453441 |title=Paul the octopus chooses Spain over Germany |date=6 July 2010 |publisher=IOL |access-date=8 July 2010}}</ref> In the lead-up to Germany's international football matches, Paul was presented with two clear plastic boxes, each containing food: a [[mussel]] or an [[oyster]]. Each container was marked with the flag of a team, one the flag of Germany, and the other the flag of Germany's opponent. The box which Paul opened first (and ate its contents) was deemed to be the predicted winner of the match.<ref>{{citation|last=Erskine |first=Carole |title=Psychic Octopus to Predict England Result |url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Strange-News/Octopus-Psychic-Paul-To-Predict-England-Germany-Result-By-Picking-Box-With-Flag-On-It/Article/201006415654410?lpos=Strange_News_Second_Home_Page_Article_Teaser_Region_4&lid=ARTICLE_15654410_Octopus:_Psychic_Paul_To_Predict_England_Germany_Result_By_Picking_Box_With_Flag_On_It |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628040324/http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Strange-News/Octopus-Psychic-Paul-To-Predict-England-Germany-Result-By-Picking-Box-With-Flag-On-It/Article/201006415654410?lpos=Strange_News_Second_Home_Page_Article_Teaser_Region_4&lid=ARTICLE_15654410_Octopus%3A_Psychic_Paul_To_Predict_England_Germany_Result_By_Picking_Box_With_Flag_On_It |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 June 2010 |publisher=[[Sky News]] |date=25 June 2010 |access-date=9 July 2010 }}</ref> There was no method for Paul to pick a draw, despite this being a possible outcome for group stage matches.

Professor Chris Budd, of the [[University of Bath]], and Professor [[David Spiegelhalter]], of [[Cambridge University]], both compared Paul's success to a run of luck when [[coin flipping|tossing a coin]].<ref name="Shenker">{{Citation | last = Shenker | first = Sarah | title = What are the chances Paul the octopus is right? | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/10567712.stm |publisher=BBC News | date = 9 July 2010 | access-date = 9 July 2010}}</ref> Under the hypothesis that Paul was [[uniform distribution (discrete)|equally likely]] to choose the winner or the loser of a match, and neglecting the possibility of a [[Tie (draw)|draw]], he had a 1 in 2 chance of predicting a single result and a 1 in 64 chance of predicting six in a row. This feat would be unlikely to happen by chance alone, but not hugely so. Spiegelhalter points out that there are "other animals that have attempted but failed to predict the outcome of football matches"; it is not remarkable that one animal is more successful than the others, and only the successful animals will gain public attention after the fact.<ref name="Shenker" />

There was discussion as to whether differences in flags design could have influenced Paul<ref>{{Citation|last=Grieshaber|first=Kirsten|title=Tentacle trauma: Paul the octopus says Spain will sink Germany at World Cup|date=6 July 2010|work=Associated Press Newswires|id={{Factiva|APRS000020100706e676001l9}}}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Weymouth's psychic octopus Paul is no sucker|date=9 July 2010|url=http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/8262786.Weymouth_s_psychic_octopus_Paul_is_no_sucker/|work=[[Dorset Echo]]|id={{Factiva|NQTCE00020100709e6790002t}}|access-date=10 July 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Farivar|first=Cyrus|title=Octopuses have a well-developed brain, are attracted to colors and are 'delicious'|date=9 July 2010|url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5778996,00.html|editor=Martin Kuebler|publisher=Deutsche Welle|access-date=10 July 2010}}</ref> (despite ''[[Octopus vulgaris]]'' being almost certainly [[Monochromacy|colour blind]]<ref>{{citation|author1=Lydia M. Mäthger|title=Color blindness and contrast perception in cuttlefish (''Sepia officinalis'') determined by a visual sensorimotor assay|journal=Vision Research|volume=46|pages=1746–1753|year=2006|doi=10.1016/j.visres.2005.09.035|pmid=16376404|author2=Alexandra Barbosa|author3=Simon Miner|author4=Roger T. Hanlon|issue=11|s2cid=16247757|doi-access=free}}</ref>), or whether he could have been choosing boxes based on differences in their smell.<ref name="Welt">{{Citation|title=Darum hat sich Krake Paul für Spanien entschieden|date=8 July 2010|url=https://www.welt.de/vermischtes/kurioses/article8366309/Darum-hat-sich-Krake-Paul-fuer-Spanien-entschieden.html|work=[[Die Welt]]|language=de|access-date=9 July 2010}}</ref>

== Career Record  ==
{{multiple image
| direction = vertical
| width = 100
| footer = Flags picked by Paul over both competitions
| footer_align = center
| caption_align = center
| image1 = Flag of Germany.svg
| alt1 = Flag of Germany: A horizontal tricolour of black, red and gold
| caption1 = Germany (11)
| image2 = Flag of Spain.svg
| alt2 = Flag of Spain: A horizontal tricolour of red, yellow and red, the yellow stripe being twice the size of each red stripe and containing the coat of arms
| caption2 = Spain (2)
| image3 = Flag of Serbia (2004–2010).svg
| alt3 = Flag of Serbia: A horizontal tricolour of red, blue. and white, with the lesser coat of arms
| caption3 = Serbia (1)
}}
=== UEFA Euro 2008 ===
In UEFA Euro 2008, Paul predicted Germany to win all of their games, a correct prediction in 4 out of 6 cases. He failed to predict their defeats by Croatia in the group stage,<ref name="Kroatien">{{citation|title=''Wie endet die Partie Deutschland – Kroatien?: Tier-Orakel sind sich uneins''|date=11 June 2008|url=https://www.derwesten.de/sport/Tier-Orakel-sind-sich-uneins-id1850875.html|newspaper=Der Westen|access-date=9 July 2010|archive-date=4 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204092924/http://www.derwesten.de/sport/Tier-Orakel-sind-sich-uneins-id1850875.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> and by Spain in the championship's final.<ref name="10things" />{{Efn|Some later sources reported his success rate at 80%.<ref>{{Citation|last=Armstrong|first=Paul|title=Would you trust World Cup's octopus oracle?|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/football/07/08/germany.octopus.explainer/index.html?iref=allsearch&fbid=Jooe3DlLDF8|publisher=CNN |date=9 July 2010|access-date=9 July 2010}}</ref>|name=|group=}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center"
|+Projections by Paul the Octopus in the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament
|-
!scope="col"| Germany's opponent
!scope="col"| Stage
!scope="col"| Date
!scope="col"| Prediction
!scope="col"| Result
!scope="col"| Outcome
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |{{fb|Poland}}
|[[UEFA Euro 2008 Group B|group stage]]
| align="right" |{{sort|2008-06-08|8 June 2008}}
| align="left" | Germany
|{{sort|GoalDiff:(12-10), GoalsScored:2|[[UEFA Euro 2008 Group B#Germany vs Poland|2–0]]}}
| {{yes|Correct}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |{{fb|Croatia}}
| group stage
| align="right" |{{sort|2008-06-12|12 June 2008}}
| align="left" | Germany<ref name="10things" /><ref name="Kroatien" />
|{{sort|GoalDiff:(09-10), GoalsScored:1|[[UEFA Euro 2008 Group B#Croatia vs Germany|1–2]]}}
| {{no|Incorrect}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |{{fb|Austria}}
| group stage
| align="right" |{{sort|2008-06-16|16 June 2008}}
| align="left" | Germany
|{{sort|GoalDiff:(11-10), GoalsScored:1|[[UEFA Euro 2008 Group B#Austria vs Germany|1–0]]}}
| {{yes|Correct}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |{{fb|Portugal}}
|[[UEFA Euro 2008 knockout stage|quarter-finals]]
| align="right" |{{sort|2008-06-19|19 June 2008}}
| align="left" | Germany
|{{sort|GoalDiff:(11-10), GoalsScored:3|[[UEFA Euro 2008 knockout stage#Portugal vs Germany|3–2]]}}
| {{yes|Correct}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |{{fb|Turkey}}
| semi-finals
| align="right" |{{sort|2008-06-25|25 June 2008}}
| align="left" | Germany
|{{sort|GoalDiff:(11-10), GoalsScored:3|[[UEFA Euro 2008 knockout stage#Germany vs Turkey|3–2]]}}
| {{yes|Correct}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |{{fb|Spain}}
|[[UEFA Euro 2008 Final|final]]
| align="right" |{{sort|2008-06-29|29 June 2008}}
| align="left" | Germany<ref name="10things" />
|{{sort|GoalDiff:(09-10), GoalsScored:0|[[UEFA Euro 2008 Final|0–1]]}}
| {{no|Incorrect}}
|}

=== 2010 FIFA World Cup ===
[[File:Paul the Octopus picks Spain over Holland in World Cup final 2010-07-09.jpg|thumb|220x220px|Paul choosing Spain over Netherlands for the final match]]
Paul's accurate choices for the 2010 World Cup, broadcast live by German news channel [[n-tv]], endowed him with celebrity status.<ref name="10things" /> Paul predicted the winners of each of the seven [[2010 FIFA World Cup]] matches that the German team played — against [[Australia men's national soccer team|Australia]], [[Serbia national football team|Serbia]], [[Ghana national football team|Ghana]], [[England national football team|England]], [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]], [[Spain national football team|Spain]]<ref name="BBC stats">{{cite news | last = Shenker | first = Sarah | title = What are the chances Paul the octopus is right? | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/10567712.stm | publisher = BBC News | date = 9 July 2010 | access-date = 9 July 2010}}</ref> and [[Uruguay national football team|Uruguay]] — as well as the tournament's [[2010 FIFA World Cup Final|Netherlands vs. Spain final]]. His prediction that Argentina would lose prompted Argentine chef Nicolas Bedorrou to post an octopus recipe on Facebook.<ref name="10things" />
{{quote|There are always people who want to eat our octopus but he is not shy and we are here to protect him as well. He will survive.|Oliver Walenciak (Paul's keeper)<ref name="Death threats">{{citation|last=Hyde|first=Thomas|title=Germany v Spain: Psychic octopus Paul unfazed by death threats, says keeper|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-2010/teams/germany/7877152/Germany-v-Spain-Psychic-octopus-Paul-unfazed-by-death-threats-says-keeper.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100710040257/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-2010/teams/germany/7877152/Germany-v-Spain-Psychic-octopus-Paul-unfazed-by-death-threats-says-keeper.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 July 2010|date=7 July 2010|work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |access-date=9 July 2010}}</ref>}}

Paul correctly predicted the outcome of the semi-final, by choosing the food in the box marked with the Spanish flag. German supporters drew hope from his incorrect choice for the Germany versus Spain match in the [[UEFA Euro 2008]] but were disappointed.<ref name="Spain over Germany">{{citation|title=Octopus Paul predicts Spain over Germany in WCup |url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100706/ap_on_re_eu/eu_germany_octopus_oracle_world_cup_2 |date=6 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100709070333/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100706/ap_on_re_eu/eu_germany_octopus_oracle_world_cup_2 |archive-date=9 July 2010 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The prediction led to German fans calling for Paul to be eaten.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5775630,00.html|title=Fry Paul the oracle octopus, German fans say|first=Dagmar|last=Breitenbach|publisher=[[Deutsche Welle]]|date=8 July 2010|access-date=9 July 2010}}</ref><ref name="Germans Eat Paul The Octopus">{{citation|title=Germans Eat Paul The Octopus |author=Abrams, David|url=http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/6261981-germans-eat-paul-the-octopus |date=8 July 2010 |publisher=allvoices.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100712052908/http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/6261981-germans-eat-paul-the-octopus |archive-date=12 July 2010 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> In response, the Spanish Prime Minister [[José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero]] offered to send Paul official state protection, and the Industry Minister [[Miguel Sebastian]] called for Paul to be given safe haven in Spain.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/spanish-pm-jose-zapatero-offers-paul-the-psychic-octopus-state-protection/story-e6frf7jx-1225889576003 | title = Spanish PM Jose Zapatero offers Paul the psychic octopus state protection | work=Herald Sun | date = 8 July 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150212214122/https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/spanish-pm-jose-zapatero-offers-paul-the-psychic-octopus-state-protection/story-e6frf7jx-1225889576003 | access-date = 2 January 2024| archive-date = 12 February 2015 }}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100710172736/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-2010/teams/spain/7881110/World-Cup-final-Paul-the-psychic-octopus-predicts-Spain-will-beat-Holland.html "Paul the psychic octopus predicts Spain will beat Holland"]. ''The Daily Telegraph'' (London), 9 July 2010</ref>

Paul's notoriety attracted criticism from the [[President of Iran]], [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]], who accused him of being a symbol of Western decadence and decay.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attacks Octopus Paul|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/7912418/Mahmoud-Ahmadinejad-attacks-Octopus-Paul.html|access-date=17 June 2014|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=27 July 2010}}</ref> Ahmadinejad went on to say that "Those who believe in this type of thing cannot be the leaders of the global nations that aspire, like Iran, to human perfection, basing themselves in the love of all sacred values."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Keating |first=Joshua |title=What's Ahmadinejad's problem with Paul the Octopus? |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2010/07/27/whats-ahmadinejads-problem-with-paul-the-octopus/ |access-date=2022-12-15 |website=Foreign Policy |language=en-US}}</ref> 

Doubts were expressed as to whether "Paul" was actually the same octopus in both 2008 and 2010.<ref>[http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/don-t-mess-with-the-octopus-oracle-paul-celebrates-perfect-world-cup-record-a-705989.html "Don't Mess with the Octopus: Oracle Paul Celebrates Perfect World Cup Record"], ''Der Spiegel'', 12 July 2010</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center"
|+Projections by Paul the Octopus in the 2010 FIFA World Cup
|-
!scope="col"| Match
!scope="col"| Stage
!scope="col"| Date
!scope="col"| Prediction
!scope="col"| Result
!scope="col"| Outcome
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | {{fb|Germany}} vs. {{fb|Australia}}
|[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group D|group stage]]
| align="right" |{{sort|2010-06-13|13 June 2010}}
| align="left" | Germany<ref name="World Cup Octopus">{{citation|title= World Cup Octopus: Paul's Predictions Stun Germany|url= http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/24/world-cup-octopus-pauls-p_n_624597.html|date = 24 June 2010 <!-- 03:50 --> |work=The Huffington Post|first=Whitney|last=Snyder}}</ref>
|{{sort|GoalDiff:(14-10), GoalsScored:4|[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group D#Germany vs Australia|4–0]]}}
| {{yes|Correct}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | {{fb|Germany}} vs. {{fb|Serbia|2004}}
| group stage
| align="right" |{{sort|2010-06-18|18 June 2010}}
| align="left" | Serbia<ref name="World Cup Octopus" />
|{{sort|GoalDiff:(09-10), GoalsScored:0|[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group D#Germany vs Serbia|0–1]]}}
| {{yes|Correct}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | {{fb|Ghana}} vs. {{fb|Germany}}
| group stage
| align="right" |{{sort|2010-06-23|23 June 2010}}
| align="left" | Germany<ref name="World Cup Octopus" />
|{{sort|GoalDiff:(10-11), GoalsScored:1|[[2010 FIFA World Cup Group D#Ghana vs Germany|0–1]]}}
| {{yes|Correct}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |{{fb|Germany}} vs. {{fb|England}}
|[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage|round of 16]]
| align="right" |{{sort|2010-06-27|27 June 2010}}
| align="left" | Germany<ref name="BBC25Jun2010">{{Citation | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/10420131.stm | title = 'Psychic' octopus predicts Germany victory over England | publisher=BBC News | date = 25 June 2010}}</ref>
|{{sort|GoalDiff:(13-10), GoalsScored:4|[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Germany vs England|4–1]]}}
| {{yes|Correct}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | {{fb|Argentina}} vs. {{fb|Germany}}
| quarter-finals
| align="right" |{{sort|2010-07-03|3 July 2010}}
| align="left" | Germany<ref name="Death threats" />
|{{sort|GoalDiff:(10-14), GoalsScored:4|[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Argentina vs Germany|0–4]]}}
| {{yes|Correct}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |{{fb|Germany}} vs. {{fb|Spain}}
| semi-finals
| align="right" |{{sort|2010-07-07|7 July 2010}}
| align="left" | Spain<ref name="psychic">{{citation|title=Paul The Octopus Predicts Spain Will Beat Germany |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/worldcup2010newsfeed/?feedID=39851695869528950 |work=The Globe and Mail |date=7 July 2010 |location=Toronto |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100709061022/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/worldcup2010newsfeed/?feedID=39851695869528950 |archive-date=9 July 2010 }}</ref>
|{{sort|GoalDiff:(09-10), GoalsScored:0|[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Germany vs Spain|0–1]]}}
| {{yes|Correct}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | {{fb|Uruguay}} vs. {{fb|Germany}}
| 3rd place play-off
| align="right" |{{sort|2010-07-10|10 July 2010}}
| align="left" | Germany
|{{sort|GoalDiff:(10-11), GoalsScored:3|[[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Third place play-off|2–3]]}}
| {{yes|Correct}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | {{fb|Netherlands}} vs. {{fb|Spain}}
|[[2010 FIFA World Cup Final|final]]
| align="right" |{{sort|2010-07-11|11 July 2010}}
| align="left" |Spain<ref name="final-prediction">{{citation|last=Christenson|first=Marcus|title=Psychic octopus Paul predicts Spain to beat Holland in World Cup final|date=9 July 2010|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/09/psychic-octopus-paul-picks-spain|work=The Guardian|location=London}}</ref>
|{{sort|GoalDiff:(09-10), GoalsScored:0|[[2010 FIFA World Cup Final|0–1]]}}
| {{yes|Correct}}
|}

=== Similar predictors ===
[[File:Paul the Octopus memorial statue.JPG|thumb|Memorial to Paul at the Sea Life Centre in Oberhausen]]
Some other German oracles did not fare so well in the World Cup. The animals at the Chemnitz Zoo were wrong on all of Germany's group-stage games, with Leon the [[porcupine]] picking Australia, Petty the [[pygmy hippopotamus]] spurning Germany's apple-topped pile of [[hay]] (instead of Serbia), and Anton the [[tamarin]] eating a [[raisin]] representing Ghana.<ref>{{Citation |title=World Cup Forecasts: Paul the Octopus Predicts a German Advance |date=23 June 2010 |work=Spiegel Online International |id={{Factiva|SPION00020100623e66n0002z}} |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,702349,00.html |access-date=10 July 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Binational octopus Paul predicts German win over England in next WCup game |date=25 June 2010 |agency=Associated Press |id={{Factiva|APRS000020100625e66p001d2}} |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iE7xYIyE9xTxBPmr7ZIDu9gQoG7w |access-date=10 July 2010}}{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{dl|date=April 2022}}</ref>{{fv|date=April 2022}}

[[Mani the parakeet]] of Singapore became famous for correctly predicting the results of all four quarter-final matches. Mani contradicted Paul by picking the Netherlands to win the final, resulting in some media outlets describing the game as an "octopus-versus-parakeet showdown".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/world-cup-final-a-battle-of-octopus-vs-parakeet/|title=World Cup Final a Battle of Octopus vs. Parakeet|publisher=[[CBS News]]|date=9 July 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://g.sg.sports.yahoo.com/football/world-cup/blog/fever-pitch/post/Octopus-Paul-vs-Mani-the-parakeet-Who-will-triu?urn=fbintl,254967 |title=Octopus Paul vs Mani the parakeet: Who will triumph? |publisher=Yahoo! Singapore |date=10 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100712062646/http://g.sg.sports.yahoo.com/football/world-cup/blog/fever-pitch/post/Octopus-Paul-vs-Mani-the-parakeet-Who-will-triu?urn=fbintl%2C254967 |archive-date=12 July 2010 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

Rabio the Octopus who correctly predicted the results of all of [[Japan national football team|Japan’s]] group stage games at the [[2018 FIFA World Cup]], was killed and sent to market, on 2 July 2018 by the Japanese fisherman who had caught it.<ref>[https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20180629/p2a/00m/0na/025000c Octopus Rabio's tipping tentacles on target for all Japan's World Cup Games]</ref>

==Legacy==
In 2010, uTouchLabs developed an [[iPhone]] [[Mobile app|app]] called "Ask the Octopus".<ref>{{cite news|title=Paul The Octopus Gets An iPhone App|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/15/paul-the-octopus-iphone-a_n_647224.html|work=[[The Huffington Post]]|date=14 September 2010}}</ref>

A 2010 Chinese thriller film ''Kill Octopus Paul'' depicts Paul's predictions as being part of an international match-fixing scheme.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-octopus-idUSTRE69S33G20101029|title=Movie "Kill Octopus Paul" takes look at soccer betting|date=2010-10-29|work=Reuters|access-date=2019-10-07|language=en}}</ref>

On 17 June 2014, during the [[2014 FIFA World Cup]], Paul was featured in a [[Google Doodles 2014|Google "doodle"]]. He was represented as being in [[Heaven]], perched on a billowy bed of clouds and adorned with a halo; when animated, he appeared to vacillate in his predictions for the day's matches.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Curtis|first1=Sophie|title=Belgium vs Algeria Google doodle remembers Paul the 'psychic' Octopus|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/google-doodle/10905064/Belgium-vs-Algeria-Google-doodle-remembers-Paul-the-Octopus.html|access-date=17 June 2014|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=17 June 2014}}</ref> Paul was again featured on 13 July in the doodle for the [[2014 FIFA World Cup Final|2014 final]]. In that doodle, clicking on the clouds in the upper left brings up an image of Paul, similar to that in the earlier doodle, "cheering" on the final from Heaven.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://outsideoftheboot.com/2014/07/13/is-todays-world-cup-final-google-doodle-carrying-a-hidden-message/ |title=Is today's World Cup final Google doodle carrying a hidden message? |publisher=Outside of the Boot |date=13 July 2014 |access-date=13 July 2014}}</ref> He was also featured in the short film “A Visit from Mascot Verse” during the [[2022 FIFA World Cup]].
{{clear}}

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

== See also ==

* [[Terrance (octopus)|Terrance the octopus]]

==Further reading==
{{commons category}}
*{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-octopus-soccer-idUSTRE6673P220100708 |last=Kirschbaum |first=Erik |date=2010-07-08 |title=German fans want revenge grilling of oracle octopus |work=[[Reuters]] |access-date=2022-04-05 |location=Berlin}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
*{{cite news|url=http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/rss/article/1129781|title=Paul's picking Spain|date=10 July 2010|work=[[The Daily Gleaner]]|publisher=dailygleaner.com|page=B4|access-date=10 July 2010|location=Berlin}}

{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}

{{2010 FIFA World Cup}}

[[Category:2008 animal births]]
[[Category:2010 animal deaths]]
[[Category:2010 FIFA World Cup]]
[[Category:Celebrity animals]]
[[Category:Oracular animals]]
[[Category:Germany at the 2010 FIFA World Cup]]
[[Category:Individual octopuses]]
[[Category:Germany at UEFA Euro 2008]]
[[Category:Individual animals in Germany]]
[[Category:Individual animals in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Oberhausen]]