No contest, is there?
Let’s look at each of the players, in alphabetical order:
Andres Iniesta – Spain
26 years old – 48 caps
Although Iniesta is a technically gifted player who has a telepathic understanding with club and country colleague Xavi, I’m not sure he has quite produced his best at this tournament.
He has only been brilliant whereas his normal level is ‘absolutely’ brilliant. He was a doubt for the tournament with an injury and he hasn’t looked fully fit. He is getting better with each game and I fully expect him to star in the final tomorrow.
Arjen Robben – Holland
26 years old – 51 caps
Another player who almost missed the tournament after he injured a thigh in a warm-up game. He is totally left footed but that hardly matters when his left foot is as good as it is.
He missed the first game but has come back into the side and given Holland another dimension. He plays out on the right and all opponents know he is going to cut back in on to his left foot. Knowing that he is going to do it and stopping him from doing so is quite another matter.
Scored the goal that took them to the final with a rare header.
Asamoah Gyan – Ghana
24 years old – 44 caps
Gyan will unfortunately be remembered most for missing the last kick of the game penalty that would have taken his country to the semi-finals. It should also be remembered that he stepped up to take the first one in the penalty shoot-out and despatched it confidently.
He scored three goals and played a wonderful role as a lone front player for Ghana who were by far the best African team at the tournament.
Bastian Schweinsteiger – Germany
25 years old – 80 caps
It was a shame that his side had to lose because his performances deserved a place in the final. He has totally re-invented himself as a player and has become one of the finest midfielders in the world.
He was at the heart of two performances that were as good as anything we have seen at the tournament when his Germany side absolutely blew England and Argentina away.
David Villa – Spain
28 years old – 64 caps
I said earlier in the tournament that there was good news and bad news for Spain. The bad news was that Villa was the only one of their players who looked like scoring and the good news was that he looks like scoring every time he gets the ball!
He starred at Euro 2008 before missing the final through injury and he has starred again here. He has shown what a top player and big game player he is. Is there a better striker in the world?
Diego Forlan – Uruguay
31 years old – 68 caps
This man has a twin brother who played for Manchester United a few years back and that brother is nowhere near as good as him, that’s for sure!
Forlan has shown in Spain that he is a top class striker, twice winning the golden boot, and he has proved it in South Africa on the biggest stage of all.
Lionel Messi – Argentina
23 years old – 48 caps
I thought he was getting better as the tournament went on and that we would see something special from the little genius before it ended.
As it turned out he was totally ineffective against Germany who totally nullified his threat. I can’t help but feel he is in the top ten just because of who he is.
Mezut Ozil – Germany
21 years old – 16 caps
The youngest and least experienced by far of all the nominees. He came to the tournament as someone that not many people knew about and then by the time he played England and Argentina he was being talked about as a superstar who the opposition had to make special plans for.
Neither team did and he had two excellent games. Against the fantastic Spanish midfield he couldn’t get the ball and was taught a lesson. He had a great tournament though and will definitely come again.
Wesley Sneijder – Holland
26 years old – 66 caps
Surely the only man who can stop Xavi winning this award. If he can lead Holland to victory on Sunday then his driving performances and his goals will probably deserve it.
He has won the Serie A title and the Champions League this season so if he adds the World Cup I suppose you could say he hasn’t done too badly!
Xavi – Spain
30 years old – 90 caps
This player is a master of the art. He has completed more passes than anyone else in the tournament and only needs to complete about thirty in the final to break the record at any World Cup. He simply doesn’t give the ball away and he is behind everything his team do at club level with Barcelona and at international level with Spain.
Barcelona are arguably the best club side in the world and Spain are arguably the best national side in the world and this little man makes them both tick.
There is no contest for this award is there?
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