Paul the Psychic Octopus has spoken, in octopus terms, as it has chosen Spain to win the all European World Cup final against the Netherlands on Sunday. It rapped its tentacles around the Spanish box in its tank first, and ate a mussel from it. In previous rounds, Paul´s first choice has won the game, but can he be trusted for the final. This article discusses the main arguments for whether Paul´s World Cup final prediction can be trusted.

Paul the Psychic Octopus has a phenomenal record in World Cup 2010, as he has predicted all of Germany´s results correctly.

Of course, if Germany had won all its games then it could be put down to national bias, as Paul is resident in Germany, or maybe it could be thought to be the German flag because of the colours or something, but Germany have lost two games, and Paul predicted both defeats correctly.

Undeterred by disappointed German fans´ threats to kill the messenger and turn Paul the Psychic Octopus into paella, Paul has bravely risked the orange army joining with their old foes in an octopus hunt by predicting that Spain will defeat the Netherlands in Johannesburg, South Africa on July 11th.

Paul has also predicted that Germany will defeat Uruguay in the 3rd/4th place play-off game. It is not thought likely that Paul is aware of the death threats from German fans, and that this influenced his choice in any way.

Although Paul the Psychic Octopus is obviously on form, and has a 100% record in World Cup 2010, it has not always been correct in his predictions.

The last time Paul was wrong was when he predicted that Germany would beat Spain in the final of Euro 2008, but Spain won the game.

So could the big final pressure have got to Paul then, and might it have done the same for his prediction in 2010? Moreover, if Paul sensed his failure in that match, might he have predicted Spain out of a fear that Spanish lightning would strike twice.

Spain are delighted that Paul the Psychic Octopus has predicted a Spanish victory in the World Cup final, with Spanish environment and fisheries minister Elena Espinosa promising to support a fishing ban on Paul to prevent any threats to the octopus being carried out.

But if Paul predicted a Spanish final defeat in 2008 and they won, would it be better for Spain if he´d predicted another final defeat for them in 2010?

Saturday´s 3rd/4th place play-off result will reveal whether Paul is still on form, and then the final result will follow on Sunday.

via Paul the Psychic Octopus Predicts Spain as 2010 World Cup Winners.