Is Penta a sign of luck for Brazil?

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters): Penta the penguin came in from the cold to warm the hearts of Brazilian soccer fans.

When the stray penguin turned up in the sea off Rio de Janeiro, surprised beachgoers took it as a sign of luck for the national team in the soccer World Cup and adopted it as a mascot for the team.

They draped the bird in a green and yellow national flag after rescuing it and nicknamed it Penta, or Fifth, for the fifth World Cup soccer title the reigning champions are hoping to win in France.

They had it pose for TV cameras during public parties after Brazil's 3-0 victory over Morocco before stowing the penguin in a beer cooler to await zoo officials.