With just two matches left in the 2014 Football World Cup – Sunday's Germany-Argentina final, and tomorrow's third place game between hosts Brazil and the Netherlands – the battle for the tournament's five prestigious awards, including the Golden Boot, is becoming fierce.Our correspondent reports that Thomas Muller, the German forward, who won the Golden boot in the last World Cup is in contention for the award this time as well. With a game left, he just needs one goal to equal and 2 to beat Colombia's James Rodriguez, who is currently the leader with 6 goals. Argentina's Lionel Messi, who, so far, has 4 goals to his name, will also figure in the finals and couple of goals could get the four time Ballon d'Or award winner his maiden Golden boot. Neymar also had 4 goals but his injury has ruled him out. Messi is also a top contender for the Golden ball which is given to the most outstanding player at the World Cup. Messi, however, is having a tough fight with James Rodriguez, Neymar, Germany's Toni Kroos, American Clint Dempsey and Italian Andrea Pirlo. Diego Forlan had bagged the Golden boot in 2010. It's the Golden glove that has an array of contenders. Germany's Manuel Neuer, Costa Rican Keilor Navas, Mexico's Ochoa, Tim Howard of the US, Argentine Sergio Romero and Dutch Tim Krul are the wonder goalies of this World Cup, and any one of them could succeed last World Cup's winner, Iker Casillas. The best young player award, which was given to Muller last year, also has a couple of names in the list. These are, Frenchmen, Pogba and Varane, Belgian Origi, Colombia's Quintero, Dutch Memphis Depay and England's Raheem Sterling. It will also be interesting to see which of the 16 teams bags the Fair play award, which Spain had won in the 2010 World Cup.
News On AIR | July 11, 2014 11:52 AM
World Cup Football: Fierce battle ahead for Golden Boot