Big Question: Who will win the Golden Ball?

Just a hunch but I think it is going to be Frank Lampard.

Adriano is going to win both the Golden Boot and Golden Ball.

Adriano will be lucky to score a few goals. If he proves to be healthy, Lionel Messi will win the Golden Boot.

it will without a doubt would be, either Ronaldinho, Riquelme, or my boi MESSI (if he is fit, this guy will take argentina all the way)

If Argentina progresses in the WC (in a league like championship there’s no doubt we would always be top 3) then I think the Messi phenomenom would be evident to all.

HENRY the Golden Boy to shine~!

My guess would be Ronaldinho (but I hope Zidane but …).

That’s the question isn’t it – IS/WILL MESSI BE FIT WHEN IT COMES TO THE CRUNCH ????

I’m thinking that Pavel NEDVED might “just” put in the demonstration of his life, since it’s obviously his last hurrah !!

He may just help Czech Republic over the line (either Brazil or Croatia) depending on where to top group placings end up from both group “E” and “F”

I just have this suspicion that brazil will finish second in the F group and Czech will finish top of group “E” therefore dodging Brazil but facing Croatia – which they will hold to a draw/penalties THEN WIN !!

Advancing to the quarter final, face SPAIN in another close; but high scoring match – AGAIN CZECH WIN !! advance onto Semi with Argentina.

Then eventually the Netherlands in the final. This eventuality will see Pavel Nedved play the crutial role of master surgeon with passes as sharp as a scalpel. His undoubted attention will see him attract everyones attn. and recieving the most prestigious title of Golden Ball.

That’s my view.

TOM..

At 26/1 Miroslav Klose is your best bet.

Michael Ballack, if Germany wins. Andrea Pirlo if Italy wins.

MESSIIIIII

or im thinking Tevez

one and only king of football… Ronaldo of Brazil

If no injuries get them, lets say vandervaart and robben are gona surprise.. if not the dutch, then its the best player in england, steven gerrard.

as a beginner, Franck Ribery from France is very promising…

It’s perfectly impossible to say before a ball has been kicked. But we can have a very rough idea to where it’s heading.

It’s obviously going to be someone from the winning team. Since this is a World Cup taking place in Europe, it’s highly likely that a European team will win it. So, the player winnging this particular award will be a European.

It’s not going to be a defender, nor a goalkeeper. Most likely it will be a forward or an attacking midfielder.

I don’t think that anybody is going to do a Theo Zagorakis, so it’s not going to be an unlikely player, nor one from a totally unfancied team.

So, if we look at the forward lines and at the attacking midfielders of Germany, Italy, France, England and (just about concenivably) Holland, it should come from there or therabouts.

For the fun of it, I would name the following as the most likely candidates: Ballack, Toti, Del Pierro, Henry, Owen, Van Nistelroy.

Luca Toni!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

van der vaart ;D

The winner could very well be someone whose team stumbles at the group stages!

Christian Vieri almost got it last time around and we saw how far they went.

My money’s still on Pauleta.

If Croatia do well then Darijo Srna has a shot. He plays very well for Croatia and I do believe he is on the brink of making a big name for himself in the Football world which he can do if he plays to his ability in this world cup.

I thing adriano or ronaldinio will win it.

messi, robinho or fabregas.
it’s young talents i’m talking about

messi, robinho or fabregas.
it’s young talents i’m talking about

Guys… Ronaldinho by far.
Football, Marketing, and a nice Nike Logo on the chest…

Cheers,
Aldo

Pele will get golden ball.

Carlitos Tevez. If Pekerman comes to his senses, that is.

After watching yesterday’s second half of NED vs MEX I became (even) more adept to the thesis of the “european team”.

Back to swthrhs:

ENG – Here in The Netherlands, virtually nobody believes in ENG. I do, cos they are strong. They DO have a serious striker problem, which no matter what else, will always have a huge role in their play. It’s up to them to show if they have the backbone or not.

HOL – Will be stronger than what most (including myself) were assuming. Still, I feel they lack something that gives them an edge.

FRA – Huge question mark for me.

ITA – Haven’t done nothing special in the past 4 years. Won the semi’s in EC2000 with some luck, against a very strong dutch side. Surelly, always a team to be respected, specially because of their magnificent (and hugelly boring) defense.

GER – Poor team, but playing home. Germany has never based its strength in pure quality, rather than in collective power and brilliant organization. Again, nobody can say they’ll be out just now.

You’re forgeting Spain, Portugal, Croatia and Czech. And I can imagine why. :-) But remember, POR and CZE were the best teams (for me they were) in EC 04 and made good qualification runs for this WC. SPA and CRO, no matter what, are also quite strong and I’m sure EC2004 would have been different, with SPA and POR going through groups, rather than GRE and POR.

To greekfreak: Pauleta can either be the best or the worse. A bit like the rest of the POR team, actually. If the team plays with all the “brain screws” and if he’s fired up, I bet ya he doesn’t just score a lot against weak teams!

To Aldo: Cristiasno Ronaldo also has a catchy smile, plays for Man Utd and also has a nice Nike logo on his chest… ;-)

Pedro, don’t get me wrong; I’m supporting the Czechs this time around; heck, I was even supporting them in Euro 2004 when they were playing Greece.

But the teams I support have an infuriating habit of doing rather badly when it comes to the real crunch, especially when I have all my hopes riding on them. So, since I happen to be massively superstitious, I will not risk the chance of bringing bad luck on them by suggesting they might win it.

Glad to see another neutral believing the Czechs can go ahead and win the damn thing though. But I’m not neutral as far as the Czechs are concerned, so I can’t really evaluate them with a critical eye.

As for Spain and Portugal, Spain have class oozing out of their ears, but their national team has always underperformed. Do you see why it should be any different this year?

Portugal have never fully convinced me, even when playing at their best. Let me remind you of how they’ve done in the past, starting a bit way back:
82- didn’t get to Spain, knocked out by Scotland and Northern Ireland
84- made the semis in France, lost to France, the hosts and eventual winners, in extra time, having seen through West Germany in the first round. An excellent performance, and a pretty unique one.
86- knocked out in the first round by England, Poland and Morocco
88- didn’t come near qualifying
90- didn’t make it, knocked out by Belgium and the Czechs
92- failed to qualify, Holland responsible, losing to Greece in the process
94- didn’t get to the USA, knocked out by Switzerland and Italy
96- v. Czech Republic 0-1 in the quarter finals
98- didn’t get to France, knocked out by Germany and the Ukraine
2000- chaos rules when they get knocked out in the semi by France, giving us one of the funniest moments of the tournament into the bargain, as Figo and a few others are red carded. Figo throws his shirt down in disgust, provoking more laughter
2002- knocked out by South Korea and the US, with more red cards being awarded
2004- lose final to Greece. At HOME. Lose opening match to Greece. At HOME. Don’t create a single chance during the whole final. ‘Nough said.

I can’t really expect Portugal to be a serious contender with that sort of pedigree, can I?

In fact, one European team who just might do well this time around is the Ukraine, whom you;ve forgot to mention. I watched them in their qualifying group, so I know how they bore people to death, like most good Eastern sides do, and then suddenly all hell breaks loose. But I can’t see them actually winning it. And they do depend hugely on Sevchenko.

Golden Ball Winner:

Brain says Ronaldinho

Heart says “A man can’t possibly have the satisfaction of both Champs League and World Cup glory in the same year”.

Thierry Henry (GOOOOONERS)

Golden Boot: Peter Crouch (set piece after set piece God willing)

Nedved. Thats all.

Ricardo…goalkeepr from Portugal…definately deserves it.

Buffon, from Italy

Zidane if France wins

Good Lucky

cannavaro won and he deserved it hes tha best player of the world and is a top defender.
deserved golden ball

adrian mutu if he wins the uefa cup with fiorentina