FIFA on Thursday unveiled a shortlist of 10 candidates for the Golden Ball, the award given to the most outstanding player of the World Cup.
BERLIN: FIFA on Thursday unveiled a shortlist of 10 candidates for the Golden Ball, the award given to the most outstanding player of the World Cup.
The list has been drawn up by FIFA’s Technical Study Group (TSG) and comprises players whose teams reached the semis.
The competition is between three Frenchmen, two Germans, four Italians, and a Portuguese, the tournament’s official website said.
The French trio comprises midfielders Zinedine Zidane and Patrick Vieira, and striker Thierry Henry, who has three goals to his credit so far in the tournament.
German captain Michael Ballack is also in contention. Joining him is compatriot and the man most likely to get the Golden Shoe - the award for the top scorer - Miroslav Klose.
The four Italians in the list are goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, defender Fabio Cannavaro, who captains a team which has conceded just one goal, midfielder Andrea Pirlo, and defender Gianluca Zambrotta.
From Portugal is midfielder Maniche, who has scored a couple of the tournament’s most spectacular goals.
Prominent among past winners of the Golden Ball are German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn (2002), Brazilian striker Romario (1994), and Argentine midfielder Diego Maradona (1986).
This time, FIFA has also instituted a Best Young Player award for players born on or after January 1, 1985. A shortlist of six has been drawn up, which includes Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo, Argentina’s “wonder boy” Lionel Messi, German striker Lukas Podolski, Swiss midfielder Tranquilo Barnetta, Spanish star Francesco Fabregas, and Ecuadorian midfielder Luis Valencia.
The first three were selected in an online poll on the tournament website, while the rest were chosen by the TSG. The winner will be announced in Berlin on Friday by German great Lothar Matthäus. The criteria for the award include style, charisma, fair play and technical skill.
Grandees of the game
- Zinedine Zidane (Midfielder)
- Thierry Henry (Forward)
- Patrick Vieira (Midfielder)
- Michael Ballack (Midfielder)
- Miroslav Klose (Forward)
- Gianluigi Buffon (Goalkeeper)
- Fabio Cannavaro (Defender)
- Andrea Pirlo (Midfielder)
- Gianluca Zambrotta (Defender)
- Maniche (Midfielder)
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