Though I appreciate Seve’s attempt to win me over by choosing a goal from my glorious AS Roma, I’m not a teenage girl that is so easily swayed. I do, however, agree on his three criteria that need to be satisfied for any of the presented goals to be considered the greatest.

While I thought about posting Gerrard’s header from the Liverpool-Milan 2005 Champions League Final due to its significance and sheer power from the top of the box or even Kaka’s superb individual goal against Manchester United in the first leg of the 2007 Champion’s League Quarterfinal match, I realized that they paled in comparison on all three counts to this goal:

I chose this goal (not just  because I’m Italian), but because it satisfies all three criteria with flying colors. First, the commentary from Fabio Caressa is classic with the yelling repetition of “Goal di Gross” and “siamo sopra e manca un minuto (we’re up and a minute remains!)”. Second, the goal is blasted in from a difficult angle that curls perfectly into the side netting. Though this doesn’t seem to compare to some of the other strikes we’ve seen, I can bet that given 100 tries most of us couldn’t reproduce it.

Finally, the significance of the goal should be obvious — a World Cup semifinal, in the 2nd period of overtime with only two minutes remaining, in an absolutely fantastic game where the future would have held a penalty kick shootout that Italy (at the time) had never won and Germany had never lost. Add to this the huge rivalry between the two teams including the fact that Germany had never lost in that particular stadium and, at the same time, Germany had never beaten Italy in World Cup play.

Instant classic.

Who says number 2 is so bad?  Check out the Dutch WC team ‘celebrating’ their appearance in the Final.  Van Marwijk ought to take a cue from his compatriot Van Gaal in Partying 101.

You didn’t think Kim Jong-il would take the demise of North Korea’s World Cup so lightly, did you?  Of course he didn’t.  Holding a public forum to shame the team and forcing the coach into hard labor seems about par for the course.

I can’t help but think it happened just like this:

Don’t let the critics get you down on World Cup 2010– it definitely had its share of memorable moments.  A plethora, some might say.  Instances that made you tear up, cringe, bust a gut with laughter, leap out of your chair to low-five strangers (I’m bringing it back), or simply scratch your noodle.    Here are MY favorite of those moments.

NOTE:  I’ve omitted any actual goals since they’ll get their own “Best 10″ list.  So calm down Americans, New Zealanders, and Gio Van Bronckhorst.  Also, I can’t believe Maradona didn’t end up anywhere on this list, but if reports are to be believed maybe we’ll get another chance in 2014.  Fingers crossed.

You’ll find the list after the jump.  What were your favorite moments from the World Cup?

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I desperately wanted to write “France” and be done with it, but that would be too easy.  In fact, the whole squad was so collectively shambolic that I couldn’t single out just one player to feature in my starting XI.  (Although Domenech definitely gets the managerial nod– he’s an Aquarius, after all).

Without any further fanfare, you’ll find The Losers after the jump.  Who would you slot in?

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Look at the reaction from Victor Valdez.  Priceless.

Check out my top players from WC 2010 and the near misses after the jump.  In a heartfelt tribute to the formation du jour, I stuck to a 4-2-3-1.

Who would be in your Best XI?

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This is it.  Four years of waiting.  It almost feels too good to be true.  The biggest game in each of these players’ careers.  How many more cliche hyperboles can I fire at you until you understand the magnitude of what’s happening?  Take 4 Superbowls, multiply them by a presidential election, toss in an Olympic flavor, and stir it around until it’s an international war… The bottom line is, if you’re here then you already know.  She’s the one.

Check out the preview I did before the semifinals to read what’s at stake for Holland and Spain.  I was much more composed (God, if I’m nervous how do think the players feel) before the semis and now I’m in no shape to give you the odds and ends now.  Okay, I’ll give you one tiny stat of interest:  the top 3 clubs featured tomorrow– 8 from Barca, 6 from Real, 4 from Liverpool.  Food for thought on the past season.

Now get out of here.  The World Cup is about life; it’s about everyone on the planet interacting via sport; it’s about the most transparent game ever invented that enthralls geniuses and simpletons alike.  It’s meant to be enjoyed and lived with others.  I’ll be posting my retro commentary later, along with the plethora of assorted thoughts that inundate me with a postpartum World Cup depression.  But it’s all about the football for me now.  And it should be the same with you.

• Let’s do this!
• Good to see Nelson Mandela in the pregame show.  He’s like all 4 of the Beatles to South Africans.  91 years of rockstar.
• It’s the same Spain lineup as the semifinal.  Pedro starts over Torres.  The longer he stays out, the more anxious I’ll become until we see him.
• The Dutch side has no surprises either.  De Jong returns to thug up the midfield with Van Bommel.  Van Bronckhorst, Heitinga, Mathijsen, and Van Der Wiel the preferred back four.
• Puyol looks like he’s having a seizure during the anthems.
• Howard Webb is doing his best Perluigi Collina impression– bald head glistening more than the WC trophy.
• Game underway.
• RVP introduces himself to Busquets with a striker’s tackle.
• Villa tries to slip behind the Dutch defense but he’s offside.  He had a relatively poor showing in the Germany game, he needs to get back on goalscoring form tonight.
• Ramos fires a header at Stekelenburg from a free kick but it’s well pushed away from danger.  Well, well-enough away.
• A Busquets mistake gives Kuyt a pop shot but Casillas tells the Dutchman to hit it like a man if he wants to beat him.
• Another chipped ball over to Villa but it’s too long.  Starting to get a bit predictable.
• Ramos beats Kuyt to the byline but Heitinga clears it over the goal… On the corner, Villa hits side netting.  Holland are holding on just fine.
• Van Bommel clatters Puyol… it has begun.
• RVP booked for a 2-footed tackle on Capdevila.  He must be under special instructions from his central midfield anchors.
• Puyol booked for his challenge on Robben.  Of course, Robben looks like he’ll never walk again but he’s suddenly on his feet again.
• Robben cuts inside with his left every time, yet it’s always a surprise for defenders.  This amazes me.
• Van Bommel yellow carded for chopping down Iniesta.  Good by Webb to nip his fiestiness sooner than later.
• Ramos’ foul on Kuyt booked.  Some World Cup nerves manifesting themselves via the referee’s notebook.
• De Jong booked for a foul on Xabi Alonso.  How on earth did he manage not to see red for that?  It was difficult to see at first but the replay confirms a kung fu kick to the chest that would make Cantona blush.  It’s embarrassing for the sport yet so awesome at the same time.  It wasn’t incidental either, there was real malice in that.
• A pretty stuttering opening 30 minutes to this game.  Neither side has put many meaningful attacks together.  Just a fair number of yellow cards.
• A corner kick finds its way to Mathijsen who whiffs it like a Little League Teeballer.
• Pedro is greedy on a break, trying his luck from distance.  He doesn’t have much.  Torres yells at him from the bench to pass (probably).
• The Dutch finally form a strong counter but RVP runs it out of play.  Nice one.
• Halftime, 0-0.
• It kills me to admit it, but it’s been a drab World Cup Final thus far.  Howard Webb’s whistle has overpowered the hum of the Vuvuzelas and the beauty of this game (what little there is, of course).  This has more of a Holland-Portugal 2006 feel to it, if your remember that peculiar foul-fest.
• I’m watching this in a Spanish bar with a few friends– a bit sheepish about the showing of the sport.  The majority of my group aren’t footy-mad like I am so it’s not one that’s going to instantly convert them to my WC religion.  And the others here, all Spaniards, have had little to cheer yet.  Could be worse, could be in a Dutch bar I suppose.
• 2nd half now underway.  Please be better than the 1st.
• Puyol heads a corner to Capdevila but the leftback pulls a Mathijsen and watches his leg swing past the ball.
• No substitutions yet.  This game is begging for Torres– I am too.
• Van Bronckhorst booked.  Deserved, but this is getting silly now.
• Heitinga booked for coming in late on Villa.  Ridiculous card count now.
• Spain making a sub but it’s the wrong one.  Navas on for Pedro.  Get ready for one million whipped crosses.
• A beautiful through pass by Sneijder releases Robben clean through on goal but Casillas’ toe flicks the Duthcman’s shot to safety!  Finally a golden goalscoring opportunity!  What a pass through the heart of Spain but it needed a more astute finish.  That had shades of the Swiss goal all over it.
• Now Capdevila enters Webb’s book for obstructing Van Persie.  I’ve lost count now.
• A deflected cross falls to Villa’s feet at the back post but his shot doesn’t have the conviction to beat Stekelenburg/Heitinga.  Had to score that– it was screaming for it.
• Dutch sub– Kuyt off, Elia on.  Van Marwijk wants to pin Sergio Ramos back with some necessary defending.  I thought Kuyt might chip in with a goal but it’s not to be.
• Less than 20 minutes to go.  Spain’s possession has been for naught on the scoresheet.  The stench of penalties is undeniable now.
• Villa fires a free kick over.
• Villa fires a difficult Navas cross way over the bar.  I’m repeating myself, as is El Guaje.
• Ramos gets a free header on the 6 (from a corner) but somehow puts it over.  The power was there, and if he kept it down, so was Spain’s first World Cup.
• 80th minute and still no Torres.  What is Del Bosque doing?  If he doesn’t bring him on, he deserves to be the losing manager in this World Cup.  Villa has been poor today, as he was in the semifinals.  It takes some stones to sub him off, but that’s in the job description for Del Bosque.  Sometimes you just have to trust the best striker in the world, fully fit or not.
• Robben comes close to scoring!  He beat Puyol for pace and Tarzan tried to pull him down.  But for the first time, Robben stays on his feet but dribbles into the waiting Casillas.  If he went down (outside the box, by the way) then Puyol is off.  Robben is furious and gets himself booked for histrionics.  The situation is basting in irony.
• Spain sub– Fabregas on for Alonso.  The Spaniards will be trying to break quicker, but it’s not the sub I want to see.
• Injury time now.  Any winner would be cruel to either side, with no time to reply.
• End of regulation, 0-0.  We’re heading to Extra Time.  Oh boy.
• Martin Tyler fires a shout out to Pasadena in referencing Brazil’s 1994 shootout win, so I should too.
• Fabregas, Xavi, and Iniesta all go down in the box but even combined there wasn’t enough contact to call a penalty.  Pretty desperate times now.
• Iniesta sends Fabregas through but he botches a 2v1 (with Villa, I believe) and Stekelenburg deflects the ball away.
• Almost farcical that there’s still no Torres.
• Both teams afraid of making the mistake that costs their country the World Cup.
• Iniesta looks through, kept on by Van Bronckhorst, but the Dutch captain recovers.  Iniesta’s indecisiveness cost him an excellent chance on goal.
• A deflected shot by Navas hits side netting.  The Spaniards in the bar were celebrating but it was always a bit premature.
• Van der Vaart on for De Jong.  Dutch finally going for the jugular.
• Braafheid on for Van Bronckhorst.  Van Marwijk really doesn’t want this to go to penalty kicks.
• Mini halftime, still 0-0.  15 minutes left.
• Sub:  Torres on for Villa.  YES!  Here comes a goal for El Nino…
• Both teams playing not to make a mistake.
• RED CARD HEITINGA!  The Dutch defender brings down a surging Iniesta.  Professional foul = automatic yellow, his second.  “Everton player disgraced in World Cup Final,” I can read the headline now.
• Spain now sense the advantage; pressing for the winner.
• Van der Wiel booked.  This has to be a record…
• A Sneijder free kick deflects just wide, but the ref gives a goal kick.  Fitting decision at the conclusion of this World Cup.
• GOAL SPAIN!  1-0 as Iniesta and his teammates celebrate what must be the winner in the 116th minute.  The stadium, this bar, all going mental now.  There are shirts off all over the field.
• Here’s how it happened.  Torres collected the ball in the left channel outside the box and lofted a dangerous ball towards Iniesta at the far end of the box.  Van der Vaart (filling in defensively) is only able to nick it a yard to Fabregas, who releases Iniesta on the right.  One touch to semi-control, and the second one to volley it across Stekelenburg with too much pace to stop.  Bingo bango.
• Sneijder and Mathijsen are furious with the referee about a possible offside or a previous foul, I can’t tell.  The latter goes in the book…  Replay confirms it was not offside.
• Iniesta booked for shirt removal.
• Casillas trying to hide his tears in his gloves– it means so much to him.
• Xavi booked for time wasting.
• Torres pulls up lame.  Looks like a hamstring.  The camera cuts to Kuyt who’s looking very worried but it’s unclear if his primary concern is his country’s fate or his Liverpool teammate.  I know which is mine.
• …Every time he plays for Spain…
• My friend Toubs demands I give him credit for predicting Torres would come on but not score– so credit to him.  In a similarly bold prediction I claimed that we would hear vuvuzelas at the stadium.
• Fulltime, 1-0 SPAIN!
• Spain have won the 2010 FIFA World Cup!

It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t how either team planned it, but it’s all over now.  After so much was made of the Germans’ timidness toward Spain, it was surprising to see all of the Dutch team revert to Van Bommelian thuggery.  They had the better of the few chances during the 90 minutes but the loss was deserved, given their methods.  I’m sure we’ll have the term “anti-football” shoved down our throats constantly now, so I’ll leave it at this– 8 yellow cards and one red + the 5 for Spain + 47 total fouls = the most violent World Cup Final in history.  Xabi Alonso is still peeling a rib off De Jong’s boot…

For Spain, it’s the ultimate glory, no?  Before the tournament I had them winning the Cup.  After their opening loss to Switzerland, I mentioned that if there was ever a team to become the first to win the Final after suffering an opening defeat, it was Spain.  They were the strongest in personnel and the most recent major tournament winners.  Still, they did it in unlikely fashion.

Only 8 total goals is by far the fewest scored of any World Cup Champion.  And only three goalscorers, none of which were star striker Fernando Torres. Thus I return to ponder my Villa-Torres theory.  Here’s the gist:  Villa, with the superior technical ability, scores more of Spain’s goals early in the tournaments;  Torres scores fewer goals but the (more important?) ones later in the tournament, using his awesome athleticism to unlock the tightest chastity-belt defenses.  Basically, I was banking on the EURO2088 winning displays which I felt reflected the nature of the Spanish striking partners.

The World Cup 2010 verdict is inconclusive.  Villa held up his part of the deal, scoring 5 goals early for Spain then going essentially limp in the semifinals and Final.  The problem with Torres is that he was never fit, evidenced by his muscle pull today.  Although obfuscating the theory even further was his benching in the last two games.  It’s very difficult to score goals in your country’s two most vital matches when you only play a combined 24 minutes out of the 210 total.  Even still, he had Pedro deny him an easy goal against Germany and played his role in setting up the winner against the Netherlands today.  So the theory will at least survive until EURO2012…

It’s time for me to wrap this up since I’m already coming down from my World Cup high.  I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have, and in the next few days I’ll have a few “best of” lists to help wean you back into a diet of baseball, cricket, or trashy reality shows.  Thanks to South Africa for hosting such a wonderful World Cup, thanks to the players/coaches for breathing life and memories into the tournament, and thank you for killing some time at Footballers Convention with me.

The most anticlimactic match in the World Cup is also the most unpredictable.  That’s about as much hype I can generate for today’s Uruguay-Germany encounter.  I mean, it’s a game neither team wants to be playing.  (“I really don’t feel like playing for 3rd place,” -Philipp Lahm).  Klose might even rest up so he can NOT score plenty of goals for Bayern again next season.

Some teams mail it in, stamped with 30-something cents of apathy.  Bulgaria laid down against Sweden in 1994, losing by a lopsided 4-0 scoreline.  Brazil’s 1-0 defeat to Poland in 1974 was far less embarrassing, but equally surprising.

Other teams take out their tournament frustrations in the 3rd place game, a la Germany 4 years ago.  Given that World Cup, losing the EURO2008 Final, and now another jilting at the WC– you have to figure Germany are gunning for it tomorrow.  Especially in the wake of the criticism that they played too timid and reserved against Spain.  These are Germans we’re talking about, and if there’s one thing Germans won’t tolerate it’s being called pansies.  These are the people that gave us the blitzkrieg and schadenfreude, World Wars and beers with 16% alcohol.  They’re playing hard today.

Uruguay could be ripe for the taking.  The South Americans exhausted so much energy engineering the ill-fated comeback against the Dutch, it’ll be hard for them to elevate the level of their play.  The return of Suarez will help, but Diego Lugano’s fitness remains a concern.  Bigger than both of those elements though is the status of Diego Forlan.  Forlan had a muscle problem at the end of the semifinal and isn’t confirmed to play today– a major uh oh for Uruguay.  No way they win without him.  Personally, he still has motivation to play via an outside shot at the Golden Ball.  But that might not be enough… Germans are marching.

Going live.  Hit refresh every few minutes to get updates to my running commentary:

• The German side has a strong whiff of throwing in the towel.  MIA are : Klose, Podolski, Lahm, and Neuer.  Meanwhile, Uruguay are at full strength.  Forlan, Cavani, and Suarez all start up top; captain Lugano is back at the heart of the defense next to Aquaman Godin.
• Mexican Dracula refereeing.
• Game underway.
• Germans playing in the Uruguayan half.
• Aogo went for blood on Perez but only gets a yellow.  Even John Harkes felt that one in the booth.  Very high tackle.
• Forlan free kick curls a bit too hard.  Goals are on the menu tonight– my treat.
• Friedrich heads off the post!  Would’ve been his 2nd of the tournament on his 79th cap.
• There’s a lot of back and forth but there isn’t much meaning behind the attacks.  Too many players going for the Hollywood pass or shot.
• GOAL GERMANY!  1-0 as Muller taps home a Schweinsteiger rebound that found his feet.  It’s his 5th of the tournament.  Muller just cemented his claim to Young Player of the Tournament.  Could be on for Golden Boot.
• Suarez getting booed every touch.  He should be cheered…
• Cavani flicks a corner that almost finds the net but Friedrich is there like a good neighbor.
• GOAL URUGUAY!  1-1 as Cavani slots home.  Perez absolutely picks Schweinsteiger’s pocket and Suarez breaks with Cavani and Forlan.  He opts to send Cavani through and the rest is history.  Tidy finish.
• Ozil flashes one across goal but Klose isn’t there to make the near post run.
• Forlan has been a bit silent.  I think he’s feeling the knock on his quadriceps.
• Suarez misses a golden 1v1.  He pulled it inches wide of the back post.  The crowd revels in his misfortune.
• Forlan goes for goal directly from a corner kick.  Easy, Margaret.
• Halftime, 1-1.
• 2nd half underway.  No changes.
• Suarez misses a golden Cavani rebound to him.  Blocked, but likely off target anyway.  Now I just feel bad for him and his millions of dollars.
• GOAL URUGUAY!  2-1 as Forlan volleys home a stunner.  That’s his 5th, and by far the best looking.
• Klose needs to come on.
• El Loco needs to come on.  More entertainment please.
• GOAL GERMANY!  Jansen buries a long Boateng cross with his head to make it 2-2.  Muslera is looking like an amateur.
• Ozil mucks up a 3v2 by taking too many touches.  The goal was begging for it; Muslera waving the red flag.
• Perez finally booked for his constant nipping on Schweinsteiger.
• Suarez unleashes a corker but Butt is able to parry it to safety.
• Forlan denied by Butt on a harsh angle.  The Golden Boot might equal the Golden Ball for, uh, Goldilocks.  Sorry.
• The shots are flowing like Irish Mist but off frame at the moment.
• Kiesling on for Cacau.
• Kiesling fires at Muslera and the keeper does just enough.
• Boateng whips in another beauty but Kiesling decides at the last minute he isn’t interested in scoring a goal at the World Cup.
• Kroos on for Jansen.
• GOAL GERMANY!  3-2 after Khedira heads home a bouncing ball in the Uruguayan box.  Terrible defending but he doesn’t care.
• Kiesling blazes an open shot over.  Really hates scoring goals, that boy.
• El Loco on for Cavani.
• Tasci on for Ozil.  Sad face for Klose.
• With the final touch of the game, Forlan fires a free kick off the post.  Wow, that was very very close.
• Fulltime, 3-2 Germany.

Almost a repeat of the Uruguayan late show.  Forlan was inches from his 6th goal and forcing extra time, but the post held strong.  He put in a shift for the Golden Ball but the game tomorrow will weigh more heavily in the decision.  He and his country still have much to be proud of, and they will return to Montevideo as heroes.

The entertainment value was high despite the makeshift lineups, and the unpredictability factor was ever present.  The Germans barely celebrate the consolation prize, but back-to-back 3rd place finishes at the World Cup is pretty commendable.  The youth in their team retire to Fatherland licking their wounds, waiting until the next tournament…

The Golden Ball is the most coveted individual award at the World Cup.  Or is it?  What is supposed to be the accolade earned by the single best performer throughout the tournament has recently become a consolation trophy.  Zidane, Kahn, and Ronaldo have been the latest three recipients of the Golden Ball– despite each one losing in the World Cup Final.  With this trend in mind, perhaps the following players will be wary of excelling too well this weekend.  Anyway, here is my shortlist:

Wesley Sneijder:  He’s been Holland’s best player since the opening match.  A tournament high 5 goals and 1 assist.  The diminutive Sneijder has been creative on the ball, efficient in his short/long passing, and influential in just about every goalscoring movement.  Free kicks, corner kicks, curlers, rockets, volleys, and even headers give him approximately 20 million ways to score.  If he finds the net again on Sunday, he will probably have done enough to win the Golden Ball.  That close already.  A midfielder with 6 tournament goals?  Must be Sneijder.

David Villa:  On the flip side, you’d have to say Villa has been Spain’s most important player.  His tally is exactly the same as Sneijder’s– 5 goals and 1 assist.  Considering Spain have only scored a total of 7 goals, it shows how crucial he is to their attack.  I mean, he has singlehandedly won 3 of their matches.  Cunning and inventive, Villa has scored some of the more stylish goals in the Cup, both finishing and creating his own chances.  However, since he’s a striker I feel he must outscore Sneijder on Sunday to win the Golden Ball.  Also, he had an ineffectual performance against Germany so going anonymous in both the Semis and Finals could destroy his claim for the trophy.  (Also also– 1 missed penalty against Honduras is a little black mark against him).

Iker Casillas:  The first of our “longer shots.”  Spain have only conceded 2 goals all tournament; none in the knockout rounds.  With Casillas’ reputation, this alone is enough to include him in the conversation.  But if you watch Spain’s games, he’s made many routine saves look much harder than they are.  He hasn’t played with the composure he once trademarked, and I still can’t shimmy the blame on the Swiss goal away from Saint Iker.  The penalty save against Paraguay certainly helps his cause, but he’ll need more.  If a 0-0 Final heads to penalty kicks and Spain prevail thanks to a save, then Casillas “should” get the Golden Ball.

Carles Puyol:  Perhaps the biggest threat to the chances of Casillas.  The ever reliable Puyol has been more or less the defensive rock he is for Barcelona.  He’s the leader of the back four and he gets major major points for his winner against Germany.  It looked like nobody could break the German spirit until up stepped Tarzan.  If Spain win the Final in a shutout (but not penalties), Puyol might get the credit for the “only 2 goals conceded” stat and win the Golden Ball.  Assuming Villa or Sneijder doesn’t score.

Arjen Robben:  I don’t see any Dutch player winning the Golden Ball other than Sneijder, but I feel I should include at least one other.  Since returning from injury, he’s scored 2 goals.  He’s been solid for the Dutch, menacing the wings and challenging keepers’ reflexes/referees’ whistles.  Still, he hasn’t been as central to the Dutch success as Sneijder.  It will take a hat-trick in the Final (equaling Sneijder’s tally and Geoff Hurst’s record) for him to win the Golden Ball.  Of course, if Dirk Kuyt were to notch 3 assists in the Final (doubling his assist tally to 6), he would have just as much a claim as Robben.  Or if Van Bommel breaks 3 Spanish legs without getting booked.  Just sayin.’

Xavi:  If he didn’t have the Euro2008 tournament that he did, would he be on this list?  Of course the Metronome has looked lovely this World Cup, turning like a ballerina and directing Spanish traffic– but for all his completed passes only one has been for an assist.  And with no goals to his name, it doesn’t look like 2010 will be a repeat of his individual award gathering.  In fairness, Xabi Alonso has been nearly as influential in transitioning Spain from defense to attack (although the missed penalty v Paraguay hurts big time).  Xavi must have a phenomenal game in the Final and hope for some nostalgic voters to look beyond the 7 World Cup games.  Or else, no Golden Ball for Robert Downey Jr.

Diego Forlan:  The ultimate long shot.  He has 4 goals +1 assist at the moment, so he’s going to need a monster effort (hat-trick minimum) in the 3rd place match to stake a claim.  I mean, it’s not that he hasn’t been the most inspirational player in terms of statistics and aesthetic play (I’d say he has), but his team won’t even be playing Sunday.  If the award were given on the eye test alone he’d like his chances, but team success is a major factor.  So I don’t fancy Forlan for the Golden Ball; he must have a monster day and the Final must be nondescript and uneventful.

If some other player ends up winning the Golden Ball, we’re in for one heck of an enjoyable Final.  Just maybe not for him.

Tags: Casillas, Forlan, Golden Ball, Puyol, Robben, Sneijder, Villa, Xavi