Neymar nominated for Golden Ball

Rio de Janeiro, June 30 (IANS:) Brazil’s Neymar has been included on a six-man shortlist for the FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Ball award.

He will vie with Andrea Pirlo (Italy), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Luis Suarez (Uruguay), Paulinho (Brazil) and Sergio Ramos (Spain) for the tournament’s most valuable player award, reports Xinhua.

The players were named Saturday by FIFA’s technical study group who will announce the winner after Sunday’s final between hosts Brazil and Spain at Rio’s Maracana Stadium.

Brazil have dominated the award in the past with four of the six previous winners. Neymar and Paulinho have the chance to join countrymen Kaka (2009), Adriano (2005), Ronaldinho (1999) and Denilson (1997).