Paul the Octopus, a psychic cephalopod at Sea Life in Oberhausen, western Germany, who became a World Cup phenomenon after correctly predicting the result in all six of Germany's matches so far, will also forecast the result of the final between Spain and the Netherlands.

According to reports, Paul will also predict the outcome of the third-place playoff game between Germany and Uruguay even though most German fans are angry and some have called for its killing or being thrown into the shark tank at the German aquarium in Oberhausen.

According to a report in a German newspaper, there have been a "host of comments on Facebook, Twitter...suggesting Paul should be fried, barbecued or turned into a seafood salad or paella".

Sea Life staff help Paul make his prediction by lowering two boxes of food into his tank, one carrying a German flag and the other bearing that of their opponents. The case he opens first is adjudged to be his predicted winner.