News: FIFA Announces Golden Ball Nominees & #WorldCup2014 Final Referee

FIFA confirmed the players shortlisted for the tournament’s “Golden Ball” award on Friday (July 11), and confirmed the match officials for the final.
Speaking at the FIFA Daily World Cup Media Briefing at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium, the world soccer’s governing body’s media head, Delia Fischer, read out the list of players to the gathered journalists.
“The candidates for the Adidas Golden ball of the 2014 FIFA World Cup selected by FIFA's technical study group are:
Angel Di Maria,
Mats Hummels,
Toni Kroos,
Philipp Lahm,
Javier Mascherano,
Lionel Messi,
Thomas Mueller,
Neymar,
Arjen Robben and
James Rodriguez,” Fischer said.
Also present at the media briefing was FIFA's head of refereeing, Massimo Busacca who confirmed that Nicola Rizzoli from Italy with the two assistants he has been working with in this competition, Andrea Stefani and Renato Faverani, would officiate Sunday’s (July 13) match between Argentina and Germany. The fourth official will be from Ecuador Carlos Vera, with the fifth official also from Ecuador, Christian Lescano,” Busacca said Rizzoli, 42, took charge of the all-German Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund at Wembley last year. Among the other games he has refereed at the finals in Brazil are the extraordinary Group A match between champions Spain and the Netherlands on June 13 which the Dutch won 5-1.
Last season he was involved in an extraordinary incident when he awarded a penalty and then changed his mind after five minutes of angry protests during a Serie A match between AS Roma and Sassuolo.
Argentina and Germany will meet in the World Cup final on Sunday (July 13) at Rio’s Maracana Stadium.