Paul the Octopus, the mesmerizing mollusk whose supernatural skill at predicting World Cup outcomes earned him a global following, is set to retire from football forecasting. The soccer savant stunned fans around the world by successfully picking the outcome of eight World Cup games without getting a single prediction wrong.
The sophisticated cephalopod even earned death threats, and his pick against Germany may have doomed his own country in the quarterfinals. After so much work, Paul will cease his soccer seeing.
"He won't give any more oracle predictions - either in football, nor in politics, lifestyle or economy," a spokesman for Paul's aquarium in Oberhausen, Germany said. Instead, "Paul will get back to his former job, namely making children laugh." To commemorate his amazing achievement, the brilliant octopus was presented with a golden cup honoring his prognosticating prowess.
Meanwhile, Paul's powerful celebrity only continues to grow. Italians tried to claim that the eight-legged oracle was theirs, and Spain's prime minister expressed desire to protect Paul.
At two-and-a-half years old, Paul's caretakers say it is highly unlikely that the genius octopus will survive to observe Euro 2012, Germany's next opportunity to shine at the international level. Scroll down for photos of Paul's prescient predictions.