Brazilian legend Ronaldo wrote his name into the history books four years ago in Germany when he bagged his 15th World Cup goal, beating the record of Germany’s Muller set in 1970. Ronaldo top-scored in 2002 on the way to lifting the trophy as he brilliantly left behind memories of the 1998 final loss to France, in which he was largely anonymous after suffering an apparent seizure before kickoff.
The former Inter Milan, Barcelona and Real Madrid star was the fifth Brazilian to top the goal charts in a World Cup - Vava and Garrincha shared the award in 1962 with four other players. Four years ago, it was German sharpshooter Miroslav Klose, who bagged seven goals in qualifying for this year’s event, who won the accolade on home soil even though his country only reached the semi-finals. Klose will be looking to become the only man to win the Golden Boot for a second time as the Germans hunt down a fourth World Cup.
But he has competition aplenty, not least in the shape of England’s Wayne Rooney, who has averaged just under a goal every other game in winning 60 caps to date.
Mario Kempes – six goals for 1978’s champions and Guillermo Stabile – eight in the inaugural event in 1930 – are Argentina’s previous Golden Boot winners. Then there’s France, whose Just Fontaine scored a record haul of 13 in 1958 but who this time qualified rather ignominiously following Thierry Henry’s handball against the Republic of Ireland in their playoff. On the way to glory in 1998, their centre-forward Stephane Guivarc’h did not score a single goal. That mattered little, as the likes of midfielders Zinedine Zidane and Emmanuel Petit assumed the responsibility of putting the ball in the net.
1. Didier Drogba
The 32-year-old Ivory Coast captain is already well-established as Chelsea’s talismanic striker and finished ahead of Wayne Rooney as the EPL’s top scorer with 29 goals and boasts a whopping 44 goals for his country. The striker is currently recovering from an arm-fracture and has been ruled out of his side’s opener.
2. Kaká
The religious Brazilian’s power, acceleration, vision and finishing – often from distance – make him a permanent threat and he fits in perfectly with Brazil’s physical, counter-attacking style. But the 2007 World Player of the Year has been relatively subdued this year, especially following his move to Real Madrid, where he has suffered from a series of injuries.
3. Frank Ribery
Dubbed as the “jewel of French football” by Zinedine Zidane, the skillful Ribery helped France go all the way to the final in 2006 with a string of inspired performances. At 27, the Bayern Munich winger is regarded as one of few reasons why the former world champions might shine in South Africa.
4. Fernando Torres
Liverpool’s ‘El Nino’ burst onto the world stage when he became the fastest player in the club’s history to score 50 league goals in 2009. He poses danger on many levels with his turn of pace, aerial ability and long range shots. He scored the winning goal in the Euro 2008 final.
5. Cristiano Ronaldo
Spectacular, vain, unstoppable and outrageously expensive, Ronaldo is a powerful showman who has perfected his tricky runs, deadly free kicks and clinical finishing through obsessive training. The 2008 Ballon d’Or winner has 22 goals from 69 matches for Portugal and boasts 118 for Manchester United.
6. Lionel Messi
The Atomic Flea’ is known to spike with a full catalogue of mazy runs and dribbles and also knows how to use his head. But to date, in an Argentina shirt, the world’s best footballer has proved to be a paler version of the one who sparkles so brightly in the Barcelona colours. With 88 goals for his club, he sits on only 13 for Argentina.
7. Wayne Rooney
England’s Rooney has averaged just under a goal every other game in winning 60 caps to date, with a whopping 131 for Manchester United, with his best of 34 coming in just the last season. England legend Geoff Hurst has admitted that it is “inconceivable” that the side can win without the in-form striker.
8. David Villa
Villa is now Spain’s second all-time top-scorer with a 36 goals from 55 internationals and also boasts 21 La Liga goals for Valencia from the previous season. The lethal striker, who won Euro 2008 Golden Boot, is rapidly closing on Raul Gonzalez’s national 44-goal scoring record.
9. Arjen Robben
The currently injured ‘Flying Dutchman’ has scored 11 goals in 42 appearances and is known for playing down the right-wing, bursting through defenders and scoring from afar - a feat the Bayern Munich winger displayed in the Champions League 2009 semi-final as well as in Euro 2008 in a 2-1 win over France.
10. Miroslav Klose
Four years ago, Klose won the accolade on home soil even though his country only reached the semi-finals. The 31-year old German sharpshooter will be looking to become the only man to win the Golden Boot for a second time as the Euro 2008 runners-up hunt down a fourth World Cup win.
Published in the Express Tribune, June 11th, 2010.
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