Mani became a celebrity in Singapore, and later internationally, when he picked the correct winners for all of the 2010 FIFA World Cup quarter-final ties, as well as the Spain–Germany semi-final.

[2][4] While Mani typically assisted his owner M. Muniyappan in fortune-telling in day-to-day work, it was his predictions over the matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup that saw him gain widespread recognition.

On the other hand, fellow oracle star Paul the Octopus of Germany went for a Spanish victory,[8][9] resulted in some media outlets describing the game as an octopus-versus-parakeet showdown.

News agencies including the AFP[4] and Associated Press[12] ran reports on Mani, alongside newspapers such as The Guardian,[13] and American magazine Vanity Fair.

The two animals chose opposing sides for the final, which caused some media outlets to term it as an octopus vs. parakeet showdown.