Big Question: Who’s Going to Win the Golden Boot?

Cristiano Ronaldo, anyone?

Posted from  United States

Crespo?? No freakin way. Ronaldinho?? Not in this tournament. I’m with Bart on this one, a midfielder in an international event like this one will not be easy, not even for a superstar like Ronaldinho.
How can everyone, except Luis of course, forget about Ronaldo. He scored the most goals from the South American Zone in the preliminary competition for the WC. I’d look for him to be a strong competitor for the Golden Boot and to break the record for the most goals in the WC ever.
Let’s not forget to mention that Portulgal’s Pauleta scored the most goals for the European Zone in the prelims. This man makes the most of his chances given to him by his very talented teammates Christiano Ronaldo, Figo, and the rest.
I’d look to Thierry and Andrei Shevchenko as well, they’re damn good strikers. If it weren’t for the injuries I definitely say Rooney and Totti would be contenders also.

Posted from  United States

Henry! The French team will be out to redeem themselves after the 2002 world cup! i.e they failed to register a goal in all qualifying matches. Henry is the best striker in the world and will win the golden boot

Posted from  United Kingdom

My bet is on Luca Toni if Italy has a good showing. The guy has scored more goals than any other player (according to the Fifa ranking system) in Europe.
Personally I dont think Ronaldino will be the big goal scorer of the tournament simply because he plays a more creative style in the midfield. The top brazilian will be Adriano. I think this may be his tournament to shine and become Brazils new golden boy.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not be the great scorer that juninho has predicted. Yes he is an amazing dribbler and that heelflick goal in Euro 2004 was one for the history books. However, Zlatan is coming off a cold season with only 7 goals in Serie A compared to the 16 during the 2004-2005 season.

Posted from  Canada

IMRUBBING MY CRYSTAL BALLS
THE SMOKE IS CLEARING

I SEE A FACE

A NEW SUCCESSOR
A WARRIOR
THE SEVENTH WONDER

STEVEN GERRARD.

OF COURSE

Posted from  United Kingdom

How about looking at which strikers have the easiest opponents to face in the first round? Thus, if the Ukraine do as remotely well as they capable of doing, I would go for Sevchenko. I mean, look at what Miroslav Klose did to the poor Saudis four years ago. And the Tunisians don’t seem that formidable in defence either. And in the next round, Ukraine could play Switzerland, which means they should stroll to the last 8, hence more chances for Sevchenko to chalk them up. I would even fancy Voronin, Vorobey, or even Rebrov, come to think of it.

A Portuguese striker might come good too, or even a Spanish one.

Of course, this is largely a paper exercise. Still, I don’t think it’s going to be somebody completely out of the blue; usually it’s not somebody totally unknown.

Jiust to refresh our memories, let’s think back on who’s won it since 1966:

1966-Eusebio (no big surprise, perhaps, but he did have the chance to play against the North Koreans in the qaurter finals, and score 4)

1970-Gerd Mueller (he wasn’t an unknown, but I don’t think he was very big before the World Cup started either; but he did have Bulgaria, Peru and Morocco to sink his teeth into)

1974-Lato (Already a proven goalscorer, and he had Haiti in the first round to boot)

1978-Kempes (a star before the finals started, and he did have Peru in the second round)

1982-Rossi (a very good striker, whom lots of people remembered from Argentina 78. Still, a surprise win, if only because he didn’t score any goals for the first four games)

1986-Lineker (already a household name, though maybe not most people’s first pick as a probable golden boot at the time. Scored a hat-trick against Poland, which is probably something you wouldn’t expect before that particualr game started. Paraguay in the second round was easier opposition though).

1990- Schilacci (a very big surprise, and he didn’t score many goals in what were considered the easy games)

1994- Stoichkov and Salenko (while Salenko was a surprise, Stoichkov was not; Salenko bagged five against Cameroon, whereas Stoichkov firing off against Greece)

1998- Suker (was already one of the best strikers in the game; and he had Japan and Jamaica in the first round)

2002- Ronaldo (was seen as a bit of a surprise at the time, because he was disappointing in the 1998 final and was struggling with his fitness. Costa Rica and China being in Brazil’s first round group helped no end too).

So most strikers who’ve won it (and they are all centre forwards in the list) didn’t come out of nowhere, and were already household names. But not a single one of them was top favourite for the golden boot; and most of them were lucky enough to be pitted with the weakest defences in the finals.

Posted from  Greece

It’s often a virtual unknown (see Milan Baros, etc.) – so my money’s on Peter Crouch!

Posted from  Canada

if the french team clicks, it will go to Henry,
he deserves it.

Id like to see it go back to Ronaldo too.
can you imagine how much power he could put on a ball if he put all his newfound weight behind it! haha

Posted from  United States

!!!!!TEVEZ!!!!!

Posted from  United States

A great analysis, swthrhs from
Greece! An important corrective
to some wishy-washy posts up this thread.

Just a note: being weaker historically or on paper does not necessarily make a team weak on the day of the actual match,
nor is it always weak defensively. That is, we must give creadit to the famous goalscorers for cracking opponents’ defenses and seeing their teams through, because without them this might not been the case. Just think of 1966 cup: I believe that without Eusebio and his four goals Portugal would not been able to overcome North Korea in the quarterfinal, in which Euroropeans were down 0-3 by 25 min. Remember, this was the same Korea that knocked out Italy (1-0 at the group stage). Eusebio alone scored as much against N.Korea as three on paper stronger opponents (Italy, USSR and Chile) could in three
group games.

Posted from  Azerbaijan

But Eusebio was Eusebio… He is still THE KING! Even if Portugal would win this WC and the golden boot to Pauleta, Eusebio will always be THE KING.

Posted from  Netherlands

I think that if Portugal play well and go far, Pauleta is a likely candidate, specially since he’ll be determined to make up for his crap performance in euro 2004 (he didn’t score a single goal) which cost Portugal the European title.

Posted from  Belgium

Thanks for your good words Hafiz from Azerbaijan. Perhaps I was stretching the point a bit about Eusebio, but how many teams concede 5 goals in a world cup semi final, even to such a brilliant striker as Eusebio?

Posted from  Greece

I agree it would have to be a striker in a competition of that caliber… sorry Ronaldino (who might be the #1 for assists). So my top picks are:

- Koller (I think Czech republic will go very far!)
- Sevchenko
- Ronaldo

As runner-up’’s I would say:
- Pauletta
- Henry (but only if France does well playing as a team)
- Toni

I Think Thierry Henry Is best choice

Posted from  Islamic Republic Of Iran

Fernando Torres – has the easiest group with the Saudis! [Or even Raul]

Luca Toni.

Van Nistleroy – something to prove.

Crespo/Tevez,

and Shevchenko has an easy group, also Ibrahimovic is quite good.

Anyway, that’s my order, Spain should put up a TON of goals early and no one is picking them, so…

Mike Owen?

Posted from  United States

Italy is going to be in the finals. No matter what you say.

Posted from  Canada

1)ali karimi
2)ronaldinho

Posted from  Islamic Republic Of Iran

i think that ali karimi will acheive golden boot

Posted from  Islamic Republic Of Iran

1.Ronaldo/adrianno
2.Torres/Pauleta
4.Crespo/savoila
5.Kolles/shevschenko/Henry

Posted from  United Kingdom

I THINK IT IS RONALDO. AND IT SHOULD BE RONALDO. AS THERE IS NO OTHER OPTION.

Posted from  Bangladesh

RONALDO WILL GET IT!!!!!

Klose will win golden boot

Posted from  India

yep obviously Klose will be the winner for golden boot

Posted from  India

Ronaldo is King of the Football!!!!!Ronaldo will win golden boot!!!GO RONALDO