FOUR German players have been included on FIFA’s ten-man shortlist for the 2014 World Cup Golden Ball.

The Golden Ball is awarded to the best player at the World Cup, with the winner voted for by representatives of the media.
The award was first handed out to Argentina striker Mario Kempes at the 1978 World Cup and has since been awarded to the likes of Diego Maradona, Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane and Diego Forlan.
The full shortlist is as follows: Angel Di Maria (Argentina), Mats Hummels (Germany), Toni Kroos (Germany), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Javier Mascherano (Argentina), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Thomas Mueller (Germany), Neymar (Brazil), Arjen Robben (Netherlands), James Rodriguez (Colombia).
FIFA also revealed the players on the shortlist for the Best Young Player and Golden Glove Award.
The Netherlands’ Memphis Depay and France duo Paul Pogba and Raphael Varane are the three candidates for the Best Young Player Award.
Costa Rica’s Keylor Navas, Germany’s Manuel Neuer and Argentina’s Sergio Romero are on the shortlist for the tournament’s best goalkeeper.

(Eurosport)