World Cup 2022 Golden Ball Odds
Qatar will host the FIFA World Cup in 2022. This is the first time a Middle Eastern country will be hosting the tournament. The first group game will kick off on the 21st of November.
The tournament consists of eight groups, each consisting of four countries. The top two countries will progress to the round of 16. These matches start on the 3rd of December. All the group winners will play against the runner-up of another group. Subsequently, the quarter-finals are on the 9th of December, the semi-finals on the 13th and 14th, with the final on the 18th.
Eight beautiful stadiums
Although Qatar originally intended to have twelve stadiums available for the World Cup, the number has since been reduced to eight. All the venues promise to be state-of-the-art and sustainable. The Lusail Iconic stadium has a capacity of 80,000, and will host the final.
Previous Players Of The Tournament
The player of the tournament will win the Golden Ball at Qatar 2022. Members of the media will vote for the winner. Whoever wins it in Qatar will join a list of some of the greatest footballers that have ever played the game.
Previous Golden Ball Winners from 1966
1966 Bobby Charlton England
1970 Pele Brazil
1974 Johan Cruyff Holland
1978 Mario Kempes Argentina
1982 Paulo Rossi Italy
1986 Diego Maradonna Argentina
1990 Salvatore Schillachi Italy
1994 Romario Brazil
1998 Ronaldo Brazil
2002 Oliver Kahn Germany
2006 Zinedine Zidane France
2010 Diego Forlan Uruguay
2014 Lionel Messi Argentina
2018 Daniel Modric Croatia
It is important to note that the player of the tournament does not have to score the most goals. He is the player the press considers to have been the best overall player during the tournament. So, what players will be in contention in 2022.?
Favourite Contenders For The Golden Ball
1. Lionel Messi
Arguably the best player in the world, Messi will be firing on all cylinders in Qatar. After an average season at PSG, by his standards, he will want to prove that he is still the best.
2. Kylian Mbappe
The Frenchman is considered to be one of the best and most sought-after players in the world. Blessed with quick feet, speed, and excellent ball control, as well as an outstanding dribbling ability, Mbappe is definitely one of the top stars to watch out for in Qatar.
3.Mohamed Salah
Salah is goal-scoring machine, as he has proved for Liverpool, season after season. An invaluable member of the Egyptian team he will be fighting all the way for his country.
4.Neymar
This Brazilian striker has the potential to turn a game. He is very much a form-player but when he's on song he is world-class. He is a prolific goal scorer and playmaker. Brazil is one of the favourites for the cup, so if they get a good run, Neymar has a good chance of winning the Golden Ball.
5.Harry Kane
The English captain has found his form again after a spell in the doldrums. Kane is a strong player with a great eye for goal. If England lives up to their potential they will go a long way and Kane has the potential to have a big impact on the tournament.
6.Robert Lewandowski
Lewandowski is a legendary Polish striker who is admired for his general footballing skills as well as his goal scoring prowess. Poland hasn't qualified for the tournament yet, but if they do, this man is someone to watch out for.
7.Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo is a dynamic and super skilful player. The Portuguese man is in the twilight of his top-flight footballing career, at the age of 38 and this might be his final World Cup. Unfortunately, Portugal, at the time of writing this, have not yet qualified for Qatar. If they do make it, keep an eye on Ronaldo, as he is a big-game player and will want to go out with a bang.
It should be noted that the odds for players of the tournament won't be finalized until all the groups are drawn. In addition to this, players playing for countries that go a long way in the tournament will have a better chance of winning the award. Therefore, Salah will have relatively high odds because Egypt are one of the tournament's underdogs and might not make it out of their group.