As has become tradition at the FIFA World Cup members of the media will get to vote for the player they believe has been the outstanding performer at the tournament, on Friday FIFA General Secretary Jérôme Valcke and Adidas Group CEO Herbert Hainer officially announced the 10 nominees for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ Adidas Golden Ball.

The Adidas Golden Ball is the official FIFA trophy for the “Best Player of the Tournament”. The ten nominated players were selected by the FIFA Technical Study Group which includes former African Footaller of the Year Kalusha Bwalya, 1998 FIFA World Cup Winner Christian Karembeu, South African Football Legend Jomo Sono and former Liverpool Coach Gérard Houllier.

Amongst the list of nominees are Uruguay’s Diego Forlan who has been the inspiration behind his team’s run to the semifinal, Asamoah Gyan the Ghana striker has made the short list as well. The following characteristics of Gyan helped win him a nomination ‘huge work rate, efficient, good dribbler, creates problems to each defence, good goal scorer’. Gyan is the only African player amongst the list of nominees.

Amongst the favourites to win the prize are Spain’s midfield genius Xavi who has been outstanding for the European Champions, his creativity and wizadry with the ball has helped team mate David Villa shoot who is also one of the nominees for the prize shoot to the top of the scorers chart.

Villa and The Netherlands Wesley Sneijder another of the nominees are deadlocked on five goals at the top of the scorers chart and will be looking at helping their respective team’s secure a first World Cup triumph, which could land one of them the Golden Ball as well as the prize for top scorer known as the Golden Boot.

The Winner of the award will be made public at the end of Sunday’s Final.

Nominees for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ Adidas Golden Ball trophy are: Diego Forlan (URU, shirt #10), Asamoah Gyan (GHA) , Andres Iniesta (ESP), Lionel Messi (ARG), Mesut Oezil (GER), Arjen Robben (NED), Bastian Schweinsteiger (GER), Wesley Sneijder (NED), David Villa (ESP), Xavi (ESP)

Adidas Golden Ball past winners:


1982 FIFA World Cup™ Spain: Paolo Rossi (Italy)


1986 FIFA World Cup™ Mexico: Diego Maradona (Argentina)


1990 FIFA World Cup™ Italy: Salvatore Schillaci (Italy)


1994 FIFA World Cup™ USA: Romario (Brazil)


1998 FIFA World Cup™ France: Ronaldo (Brazil


2002 FIFA World Cup™ Korea / Japan: Oliver Kahn (Germany)


2006 FIFA World Cup™ Germany: Zinedine Zidane (France)