World Cup Betting
Five Goalscorers To Follow At The 2010 World Cup
The Golden Shoe – the prize awarded to the top goal scorer at a World Cup Finals – is often the most prestigious award outside actually winning the tournament. Such great players as Gary Lineker, Ronaldo, Davor Suker, Hristo Stoichkov, Garrincha, Eusebio and Gerd Muller have been previous recipients of the award and with dozens of high quality strikers heading to South Africa in 2010, this summer’s Golden Shoe market is wide open.
Here are five strikers to follow in South Africa.
David Villa (9/1)
He might be the favourite to add the Golden Shoe to the top goal scorer award he won at Euro 2008, but with his nation as World Cup favourites it is impossible to look past the claims of David Villa.
Statisticians have worked out that the Valencia forward was the most prolific striker in world football between 2005 and 2009 and he has an impressive 36 goals in just 54 international appearances.
With Spain expected to go far in the competition, Villa can provide the goals that might, finally, bring the World Cup to Spain.
Miroslav Klose (25/1)
As the experienced German striker approaches his 100th international cap, it is worth considering whether Klose is the most underrated forward in international football. The Bayern Munich striker averages a goal every other game in international matches and has proved himself at the very highest level.
Klose scored five goals in Japan and South Korea in 2002 before netting another five to win the Golden Shoe in Germany in 2006. With Germany expected to do well in South Africa, another five goal haul would see Klose join Ronaldo as the World Cup Finals’ all time leading goalscorer.
Nicklas Bendtner (100/1)
The Arsenal forward might seem like an unlikely choice here, particularly as he isn’t the most prolific striker for his club side. However, Bendtner is a vital part of an excellent Denmark team that generally perform well at World Cup Finals.
Bendtner helped his country qualify for South Africa ahead of both Portugal and Sweden. The Danes have never failed to get past the first round of a World Cup they have appeared in, and with Holland, Cameroon and Japan to face in Group E they can progress this time also. Bendtner is the focus of most of Denmark’s attacking play and so can provide the goals to carry the Scandinavian side to the knockout stages.
Alberto Gilardino (33/1)
Italy don’t boast an out and out world class goal scorer in 2010, although the Fiorentina forward Alberto Gilardino can provide the firepower they need to retain the World Cup.
With vital goals in qualifying against the Republic of Ireland and a late hat-trick against Cyprus, Gilardino has plenty of international experience. In a group including Paraguay, Slovakia and New Zealand, goals should be relatively easy to come by for Italy and so Gilardino could bag a hatful before the knockout stages begin.
Frank Lampard (66/1)
Whilst all the focus might be on the form of Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, it’s easy to ignore the impact that Frank Lampard has made on the England side since the arrival of Fabio Capello. In 2009, Lampard was joint top scorer for England (with Rooney) with six goals. The selection of Gareth Barry has allowed the Chelsea midfielder to revert to the attacking role he plays for his club side and he has produced some of his best international form in recent months.
Lampard is also England’s nominated penalty taker, and so whilst he and Rooney will battle it out to top score for England, I prefer the 66/1 on Lampard to the 10/1 on Rooney.
