Will Neuer win the Golden Ball?

not sure if it was named Golden Ball in 2002, when Kahn was elected best player

good to know bb66, just had a wee bet at 7.6...The winner usually comes from the winning team so unless Müller gets a hat trick.

The winner usually comes from the winning team

Not sure where you get that from as 1/2 (4/8) of winners not from winning side and of those 2 from sides not in final, that leaves Zidane, Romario Maradona and Rossi as winners from winning team - none of which can be argued against from memory.

In fact just realised that Zidane wasn't on winning side so it's actually only 3/5 winners are from winning team!

Romario in 1994 was the last from a winning team btw

thx spyker, my mistake...dunno why I thought that? Good to know though, just in case Germany don´t win.

It's one of those things that enough people assume is true so it 'becomes' true i think!

and it's 3/8 not 3/5 but you got the point!

With Robben being largely anonymous tonight I reckon its between Messi (who wasn´t much better), Müller and Neuer now.

though, with it being a FIFA award, it could easily go to Neymar...

dont forget James Rodriguez

messi has been quiet the last 3 games

hasnt scored V Belgium, the Swiss, or Holland

Tip - what has Neur done to warrant it iyo - he's been solid but no more from memory? I can't remember him  making anything other than rudimentary saves and not really being under pressure for a period - it's not like Ger are in the final due to any period of good play by neur. Also when Kahn won it in 2002 he was basically the reason they got to the final and even then i remember a debate about whether a gk really deserves it so they have to do exceptional things to win it. Good luck with it but I'd say it's now dependent on who plays well in final so a match winning display from neur might see him in contention i suppose.

I don´t think you´ve been watching all Germany´s games spyker. Neuer saved Germany against both Ghana and Algeria, made a couple of great stops against France and has been near unbeatable the whole tournament. Here in Germany people recognise that he, along with Müller, has been Germany´s most outstanding performer.

From what I read the award is voted on before the final, or at the very least voting is opened up before the final.  With this in mind I would think Hamez has a good chance of winning and odds in the 5's surely worth a bet.

Not nominated.

Total joke:

Di Maria???
Mascherano??
Lahm?

Hummels to win it.

Cannavaro should have won it in 2006.

Di maria is a strange 1, Masch i can see why after the semi and while i didn't think Neur had a chance of winning I thought he'd get in the final 10! If Messi or Muller put in a match winning performance it's theirs (not sure any of the others are really in with a shout no matter how big a game they have) if not it should go to James but Messi does have a hell of a 'head start'!

i hate masch..but he is like  3 players in one

i hate masch..but he is like  3 players in one

According to FIFA vote is open now.  Not sure when the voting period ends.  Wonder how many will wait for the final (assuming the deadline is after the game which I'm not even certain) before placing their vote.

Horangi - the way  understand it is that whomever it is that votes (and I'm trying to find out who the chosen media is) votes from now until the end of the final with the result announced after the final. I'd guess some will vote now but in this case i think a few will leave it late - I'm keeping a very close eye on the market (esp tomoz) for any sudden moves!

I think it will very much depend on who is voting spyker - there is a possibility, especially if Germany win the final, that some of the south American media might want to salvage some pride...in which case Messi or James would be more likely.

On the other hand, if Müller score a hat trick in the final then the Golden Ball and Boot must surely be his...

The way i see it tip is that most of those that will vote for Muller will do so pre match and the same for James but i think there are a lot of 'natural' messi voters who have yet to be convinced by him this wc. I've noticed a bit of a change in tone of messi reporting in that he hasn't performed in the ko stages as yet and he needs to in the final - even that he is saving himself but that is nonsense!
Come 80 mins and messi hasn't performed then if Muller has he gets it - not just a goal but a good performance. I can even see the situation where he wins the boot and messi or james esp gets 'ball' votes as they can no longer win both! I might be completely wrong however as i've said before it is all guesswork from here - my market position can't worsen as i can only lose money i haven't won yet!

who you on spyker?

James - pre tourny at 100's - my thread is on the football site 'Surefire winner'.

Wonder why they open it now.  Everything is done online so its not like you couldn't conduct the vote right after the final say up until midnight local time. 

Strange that a player could go on to dominate the final and not get the nod because half the voters had already cast their ballot.  Also wonder if you can alter your vote along the way or not.

didn't zidane win it after getting sent off for a head butt as most folk had voted for him before the final.

Deadline supposedly halftime of the final.  Strange cut off time, with this is mind believe Hamez will hold off the competition.

Messi FFS!!!

Almost anonymous in last three games.

Tip - the voting appears to have only been the Fifa tech cmte and not any media, i thought he'd have a head start but not that he'd already win it pre tourney - I don't know if you backed Muller but I'd be livid if i had!

Messi scored a brilliant goal that's it

A few germans sweated blood to carry the side to finish , take a look at bastian S. for example


really is a farce and makes me sick to my stomach the lengths marketing interferes with the sport


Neuer was faultless , even played sweeper a couple of times ,


fifa technical study group can go f themselves imo , WTF does Houllier know ffs

On the pitch, Adidas outperformed all competitors, supplying the kits to both finalists Germany and Argentina and having deals with Golden Ball winner Argentina’s Leo Messi, Golden Boot winner James Rodriguez and Golden Glove winner Germany’s Manuel Neuer.

surprise surprise!!!

Anything at all to do with FIFA will always have the reek of fix about it.

All awards of course sponsored by Adidas...

To be fair, not sure they could do a lot to fix the Golden Boot winner...