..as Six finalists are listed for Fifa top-player gong

Former Ghana forward Abedi Pele was on the committee that short-listed ten players for the Golden Ball award for the World Cup's best player.

Four Brazilians - Rivaldo, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Ronaldinho - are in the running along with two Germans, Oliver Kahn and Michael Ballack. A media delegation will announce the winner next Tuesday.

The list is headed by Ronaldo, whose outstanding form at the finals is all the more impressive in view of the fact that he spent virtually all of last season on the sidelines with knee and thigh injuries.

His team-mate Rivaldo, who currently trails Ronaldo in the running for the Golden Boot award having scored five goals to his six, is also in contention having been at the hub of much of Brazil's incisive attacking play at the tournament.

Roberto Carlos scored a free-kick goal against China and the Real Madrid full-back and onefootball.com columnist has looked at his attacking best throughout the competition.

Ronaldinho is widely regarded as the brightest newcomer to the world scene having often eclipsed his more established team-mates with some exquisitely skilful displays.

Bayern Munich-bound Michael Ballack earned a nomination on the strength of his surging runs from midfield and his goal tally of three that has helped propel Germany to the final.

His team-mate Oliver Kahn was described by Franz Beckenbaur as "the only world class player in the German team" and makes the short-list after heroic performances against the Republic of Ireland and USA in particular.

Turkey's Hasan Sas is the only player at the tournament so far to have given Cafu something to think about having beaten him on the blindside to open his country's goalscoring account at the finals before starring for a narrowly-beaten side in the semi-final.

South Korea's heroic run was orchestrated by Guus Hiddink but skipper Hong Myung-Bo has deservedly been placed on the short-list for his imperious leading of the team on the field.

Arguably the most exciting team to burst onto the world stage was Senegal with Liverpool's new signing El Hadji Diouf the star of their show. His mesmeric displays against France and Uruguay went a long way to earning his nomination.

And despite yet another example of underachievement from Spain, their skipper Fernando Hierro, who has now retired from international football, is short-listed having marshalled the back-four with composed authority before they crashed out to South Korea.

The committee nominating the player is headed by JEF United Ichihara coach Dr Jozef Venglos heads the group. His assistants include former Scotland boss Andy Roxburgh and former Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.

Current bosses who have a say are Australia's Frank Farina, Romania's Angel Iordanescu, Colombia's Francisco Maturana and Canada boss Holger Osieck. Sturm Graz coach Ivica Osim and former Ghana forward Abedi Pele also voted.

The last two winners were Brazilian, Ronaldo in 1998 and Romario in 1994. Before then, Italy forward Salvatore Schillaci won it in 1990 while Diego Maradona was the 1986 winner.