Friday, 28 June 2002.
FIFA has announced the 10 nominees for this year's Golden Ball award for the most valuable player of this World Cup.
No England players have made the shortlist, selected by the Technical Study Group of FIFA, which may come as a surprise to many fans following the colossal performances of Rio Ferdinand at the heart of the Three Lion's defence.
Instead, the study group headed by former Aston Villa boss Dr Jozef Venglos, seem to have plumped for the obvious big name choices. FIFA technical director and former Scotland boss Andy Roxburgh and FIFA technical advisor Carlos Alberto Perreira, who led Brazil to World Cup glory in 1994, are also on the panel that chose four Brazilians among the ten, along with Frank Farina (Australia), Anghel Iordanescu (Romania), Francisco Maturana (Colombia) and Holger Osieck (Canada), Abedi Pele (FIFA Football Committee), Lim Kon Chon (AFC technical director), Alvin Corneal (FIFA instructor) and Sturm Graz coach Ivica Osim.
The final choice will be down to the media who will elect the winner of the golden silver and bronze ball. Voting will take place this Sunday and the winner will be announced on July 2.
The ten players in the frame are;
Fernando Hierro (Spain)
Myung Bo Hong (South Korea)
Rivaldo (Brazil)
Ronaldo (Brazil)
Ronaldinho (Brazil)
Roberto Carlos (Brazil)
Oliver Kahn (Germany)
Michael Ballack (Germany)
El Hadji Diouf (Senegal)
Hasan Sas (Turkey)