The almighty final of the World Cup
Paul the Octopus, Ã
Do you remember a famous octopus whose name became popular (more popular than any other name all over the world) in 2010? The star animal of the Sea Life Center in Oberhausen was the most successful German in the whole year indeed, even though Paul was really born in Weymouth, England.
Paul the Octopus, “The psychic octopus” or “Krakenorakel”, as also was known in Germany, was able to know the result of every single match asked to him in the previous World Cup of South-Africa. Miraculous? No. Without a doubt, although we can't explain how, he actually knew.
And the sad feeling is we will never know because he died just a few weeks after Spain beat the Netherlands in the final and won its first World Cup, as Paul predicted. Exactly 4 years ago, 11th of July of 2010, at the Soccer City in Johannesburg. That day, the octopus became almighty.
But imagine, in the same way that Paul used to do his predictions, two boxes with a flag and coming from above, the cephalopod with his knowledge and all he knew. His word was truth. Now think. Which country will win the World Cup in 2014? Only God knows... God coming down from above too, choosing Germany or Argentina. But it won't be easy for him this time.
For the first time in history two alive Popes are living together at the same time at the Vaticano, two different ways to managed catechism, two vicarious of God. One German, the other Argentinian. And both keen to football. And just right now, the final match of the Brazil World Cup 2014: German versus Argentina. What would God think about this?
Pope Francis, or his real name Jorge Bergoglio, is an argentinian football lover, born in Buenos Aires and supporter-confessed of San Lorenzo de Almagro's team (being member and cardholder of the club), interestingly founded by a priest, Lorenzo Massa, in 1908, reason why team took that name. And curiously called the “crows” because of the colour of the priests' robes
On the other hand, we have his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, whose former name is Joseph Ratzinger, German from Marktl, in Upper Bavaria, and who seems more interested in theology but who also wrote about football as “a kind of attempt to return to paradise” in his article “Suchen, was droben ist” (“Looking for the above”) in 1985.
Anyway, the Vatican says it is unlikely that Pope Francis and his colleague Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI would get together to watch their home teams in the World Cup final on Sunday. A Vatican spokesman, the Reverand Federico Lombardi, said on Thursday that the hour of the final is late for Francis’ routine, and acknowledged with a chuckle that Benedict wasn’t known as an avid sports fan. Still, he didn’t rule anything out, saying, “We’ll see in the coming days.”
The main question is if they have prayed for any of his native countries to have a good game and win the final match. Pope Francis has already said he didn't use his influences with God, giving his word that there would be no papal intervention in Argentina’s fortunes, promising he wouldn’t pray for any team. And we know that Benedict’s interests are known to lean more toward intellectual than athletic pursuits but...
Lombardi settled the matter: “both would want the better team to win, without taking sides”
So we should trust in them now, they can't lie... That is sin. So only God knows what will happen.... until this Sunday, in Brazil
Just histories of the World Cup.
By Santi Ivar
Sources:
http://papa-francisco.es/papa-francisco-y-el-futbol
http://www.conelpapa.com/benedictoxvi/futbol.htm
By Santiago Ivar
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