*Museum Gem* FIFA WORLD CUP 2010 SOUTH AFRICA Diego Forlan ADIDAS PLAYER'S GOLDEN BALL TROPHY AS BEST PLAYER OF WORLD CUP with BOX!

*Provenance: Adidas Vice-President Collection and Evaluation Letter*

Story:

Uruguay's Diego Forlán won the best player of the World Cup award after lighting up the tournament with some wonderful goals that helped his team become South America's only semi-finalist.

The striker won praise for his performance on the pitch and friendly attitude off it where he always made time to sign autographs and talk with fans or journalists.

Forlán took 23.4% in the Golden Ball poll organised by Fifa and voted for by journalists. Holland's Wesley Sneijder was second with 21.8% and Spain's David Villa third on 16.9%.

All three got five goals, making them joint top scorers along with Germany's Thomas Müller. Müller took the Golden Boot award given to the top scorer under new Fifa rules, using assists and number of minutes played as a tie-breaker. The German was also named best young player.

Diego Martín Forlán Corazo (born 19 May 1979) is a Uruguayan professional football manager and former player who played as a striker. Regarded as one of the best forwards of his generation, Forlán is a two-time winner of both the Pichichi Trophy and the European Golden Shoe at club level. With the Uruguay national team, he had notable individual success at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, finishing as joint top scorer with five goals, winning the goal of the tournament, and winning the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.

Boxed: 4 by 7 3/8 by 2 1/8 inches