2014 FIFA World Cup: The Golden Ball contenders

The excitement is palpable. The anxiety is overwhelming. There is tension in the air. The FIFA World Cup kicks off in less than two days!
A global audience of around 2 billion is expected to be glued to their television sets watching their favourite teams fight it out for the most coveted prize a footballer can lay his hands on.
But is the World Cup only about team honours? Of course not! While it is every player’s dream to win the World Cup, they also set their sights on perhaps the most significant individual prize in the sport after the FIFA Ballon D”Or, the Golden Ball, awarded to the Player of the Tournament. Here we look at the top 5 contenders who can land the prestigious award:-

5. SERGIO RAMOS
The volatile Spanish centre back is in the form of his life. Not only was he instrumental in Real Madrid winning the Champions League, but he also had a terrific season scoring seven goals, most of them of insurmountable importance. The pairing of Ramos and Gerard Pique at the heart of the La Roja defence still remains one of the best in the world, although questions marks over consistency and error proneness are often raised. A fearless footballer, Ramos is a hard tackling defender and posseses unmatched aerial ability which is often illustrated on both ends of the pitch, especially from set pieces. Ramos is also a regular penalty-taker for Spain in tie-breakers and can hit a dead ball with venom and accuracy. 

4. ANDRES INIESTA
For one of the most decorated players around, Andres Iniesta is one of the most likeable of footballers. Iniesta is perhaps the diamond in the multitude of gems that is the Spanish midfield. A vital cog in the plethora of recent successes of Barcelona, Iniesta was also instrumental in Spain’s world cup winning efforts, symbolized by his winning goal in the final. A machine like passer of the ball, Iniesta’s telescopic vision and ability to evade defenders with nonchalance will be invaluable if Spain are to retain the Jules Rimet trophy.

3. CRISTIANO RONALDO
Coming into the World Cup after a memorable season with Real Madrid, both collectively and personally, Cristiano Ronaldo would want his honeymoon to continue into the shores of Brazil. The Portuguese captain has scored 51 goals in 46 matches for Real and 10 in 8 for the national since August. It was because of Ronaldo that Portugal made it to the finals, after he claimed a sensational hattrick and outgunned Sweden and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the playoffs. The Golden Ball has never been awarded to a player whose team has not progressed atleast to the semi-finals. Portugal look very unlikely candidates to qualify for the semis, but as the commentator said during the magical night in Stockholm, “When Ronaldo is there, there is always a chance.”

2. NEYMAR
Brazil are looking for a record-extending sixth World Cup triumph and Neymar da Silva Junior knows his part in that script- the protagonist. After showing unexpected levels of maturity to guide Brazil to the Confederations Cup last June, Neymar knows that all Selecao fans are looking for an encore. A match-winner on his day, Neymar is a different proposition for Brazil than what he looked in his first season at Barcelona, as his national record of 31 goals in 48 games suggests. Blessed with mesmering skills, electric pace and ambidextrous striking ability, Neymar can be a nightmare for defenders and should have the World Cup as well as the Golden Ball firmly in his sights.

1. LIONEL MESSI
There are good players, then there are great players and then there is this genius. When Lionel Messi is on song, you just need to sit back and enjoy. The little Argentine is strictly sensational. If indeed Argentina can win the World Cup, then Pele and Diego Maradona will have company as the best the world has ever seen. Messi, with his superhuman skills, has often been said to have come from ‘another planet’ by the likes of Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson. If this genius of a man can get into his stride, the other competitiors may as well forget about laying their hands on the Golden Ball.