If there was something synonymous with the World Cup more than the underachievement of every star player, then a certain eight legged takes the crown. Paul the Octopus, originally of England but resident of Oberhausen, Germany, successfully predicted eight consecutive results during the summer’s World Cup. He even managed to out-predict Calvin Ayre; successful forecasting Argentina would lose out to Germany.
After the tournament, everyone from Spain to Iran was talking about him but today brings sad news. Unfortunately, the average life span of an octopus is only two years, meaning today marked the passing of the most famous octopus of recent times. “Pulpo Paul” passed away peacefully of natural causes overnight at the Oberhausen Sea Life Centre.
Manager at the centre Stefan Porwoll, commented: “His success made him almost a bigger story than the World Cup itself,”
“We may decide to give Paul his own small burial plot within our grounds and erect a modest permanent shrine. While this may seem a curious thing to do for a sea creature, Paul achieved such popularity during his short life that it may be deemed the most appropriate course of action.”
