Navas, Ochoa and Pogba value to win individual awards

A two-day lull in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil means that one has a chance to have a look at the various futures odds to see if any outstanding betting opportunities are present.

Officials will hand out four individual prizes at the end of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. The Golden Boot is the best known of the gongs but one is much more interested in the Golden Glove, Young Player Award and Golden Ball markets.

Manuel Neuer is a fine goalkeeper but one believes that he is a false 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Golden Glove favourite at odds of 3.75 with BetVictor. The FIFA World Cup winner’s regular goalkeeper was the Golden Glove recipient in 2006 and 2010 but, more often than not, the custodian adjudged to be the tournament’s best has not come from the champion team. And there is a history of goalkeepers from sides knocked out before the final collecting the award – Luis Gabelo Conejo of Costa Rica at the 1990 FIFA World Cup Italy and Michel Preud’homme of Belgium at the 2002 FIFA World Cup United States of America are two of the recent examples.

It is not that Neuer cannot take out the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Golden Glove prize but that the Germany goalkeeper is under the odds in view of the performances of Costa Rica’s Keylor Navas and Mexico’s Guillermo Ochoa. Both Navas and Ochoa have won two man-of-the-match awards, whereas Neuer has not been voted as the best player on the pitch yet. And German football Kicker, which treats football as a science and publishes ratings on every game, have Navas and Ochea neck and neck at the top of its rankings. Kicker has Navas and Ochas equal first on 1.88, with Neuer third on 2.25.

Navas is available at odds of 6.00 with BetVictor and Ochoa is trading at odds of 17.00 with Paddy Power. If one had to place only one bet than it would be on Navas simply because Costa Rica is in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil last eight and Mexico is out of the tournament. However, dutching the unheralded goalkeepers produces odds of 4.43, which is much more preferable to backing Neuer at a shorter quote.

Bookmakers have picked out the correct 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Young Player Award favourite, though. There are 36 Young Player Award candidates and the pick of them is France midfielder Paul Pogba, who was voted man of the match in his team’s 2-0 round of 16 win over Nigeria. Pogba is one of the oldest Young Player Award contenders – the rule is that one must be born on or after 1 January 1993 and he came into the world on 22 March 1993 – and, according to Kicker, he is having the equal best tournament of those eligible. Pogba’s Kicker rating is 2.50, the same as that of Netherlands striker Memphis Depay, with France defender Raphael Varane third on 2.67. Depay is having a big impact off the bench, whereas Pogba is starting games and that is why one is keen on him at odds of 2.00 with 888sport and Unibet. Depay is available at odds of 8.00 with the same bookmakers.

Finally, there is the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Golden Ball for which one suggested Brazil superstar Neymar before the action kicked off, with one’s rationale being that Neymar was more than double the odds of the host nation winning the final and, if A Selecao went all the way, it would be easy to see their best player receiving the prize. Neymar is the Golden Ball favourite with some bookmakers ahead of the quarter-finals. Colombia midfielder James Rodriguez may collect the award but one thinks that unlikely unless Los Cafeteros knock out Brazil in the last eight. One would be better off backing Colombia to qualify for the semi-finals given the odds that are on offer about the two options.

Tips Summary

Navas/Ochoa to win the Golden Glove
Odds:  4.43 (dutched)
Where to Bet: BetVictor, Paddy Power

Pogba to win Young Player of the Tournament
Odds: 2.00
Where to Bet: 888sport, Unibet