While you may not remember the name of the player who scored Spain's winning goal, you will definitely recall Paul the Octopus, who rose from obscurity, following his amazingly accurate predictions of not only all seven of Germany's World Cup matches, but also, the Grande Finale between Spain and the Netherlands.
Now, it seems that Paul the Perfect has had enough - At least that's what his keepers, the folks at Sea Life Center in Oberhausen, Germany have decided. For they have officially retired the eight-legged cephalopod from all predictions - soccer or otherwise.
From hereon, Paul will not have to endure the hardship of picking which of the two mussels to eat, but will instead, be allowed to hang out in his aquarium tank, basking in his old glory, next to a replica world cup trophy, and doing what he does best - Make kids laugh!
While Paul may have retired from active duty, he remains a star not just in Germany, but also, all around the world. He is the subject of a popular You-Tube song, has had a feature film produced in China in his honor, and has even been declared an honorary friend of a Spanish Town who presented him with a bronze statue modeled after himself in an elaborate ceremony on July 22nd. Ah the life of a smart Octopus!
sources: examiner.com,worldcupblog.com