Paul the octopus picks his World Cup champion

Paul the psychic German octopus, quite possibly the greatest mollusk celebrity in the history of Europe, has made his choice for World Cup champion. Staying with the nation he chose in the semifinal round, Paul picked Spain to beat the Netherlands in the title match in a dramatic ceremony earlier this morning at the Oberhausen Sea Life aquarium. So that should do it for this year’s World Cup, as Paul is never wrong, and … but wait! Now there’s an undefeated World Cup soothsaying parakeet? And he’s picking the Netherlands? Holy crap! It’s a psychic animal Steel Cage Battle Royal. (Loser will be pan fried, served over rice).

Mani, Singapore’s World Cup-forecasting parakeet, creeps out of his small wooden cage and chooses between two white cards — one hiding the flag of the Netherlands, the other Spain.

If the bird’s many new believers are right, Holland will win its first World Cup championship Sunday. Mani grabbed a card in his beak Friday and flipped it over to reveal the Dutch flag.

Video following the jump.

More from the Associated Press:

The 13-year-old parakeet has become a local celebrity after its owner, M. Muniyappan, claimed Mani accurately forecast the World Cup’s four quarterfinal games and Spain’s semifinal victory over Germany.

“He’s a special bird,” Muniyappan said.

Unlike Paul the octopus, who makes his predictions for room and board, Mani’s services are not free.

For 10 Singapore dollars ($7), Muniyappan and Mani can see into your future. Ali, a 31-year-old customer, said he was having financial problems and wanted to know when his luck would improve. After burning incense under pictures of Hindu gods, Muniyappan said Ali’s fortunes would turn in 14 days.

“I’ve come to him before to know when my luck will change,” Ali said. “I believe in him and the bird.”

Meanwhile, plagued by death threats and various annoying sports-related toys in his tank, Paul quickly chose Spain over the Netherlands on a live TV broadcast to five European nations.

Fortunately, no one in Spain is taking this very seriously:

That’s the front page of Spain’s biggest online newspaper, Marca.com, this morning. Translated: The Octopus Paul makes us champions.
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Octopus oracle picks Spain in World Cup [Houston Chronicle]
S’pore World Cup-forecasting parakeet picks Dutch [Associated Press]
Paul the psychic octopus picks what team LeBron will sign with [Out of Bounds]