The World Cup can often make or break a player's reputation. Producing the goods

at club level is all well and good, but the fact remains that the World Cup has

a special mystique and elegance all of its own. When it comes to picking who

will end up as top scorer at the World Cup things get tricky, because it isn't

about club level form anymore. The most talented stars week after week may line

up in a poor national side, unable to provide them with chances galore, while

second rate forwards may get an easy run in a good team. All in all, World Cup

top scorer is one of the toughest bets to make.

However, it's precisely because this market can throw up an unexpected winner

that a long odds player can delight those lucky enough to choose them. And since

the bookmakers know how varied the field and hard the pick, the price is often

rewarding even if a familiar name ends up on top of the pile. Let's take a look

at the best picks for top goalscorer in the World Cup betting:

Fernando Torres – Best Current Price 15.00

The Liverpool striker is, when fit, a force of nature that blows away even the

most seasoned of defenders. Torres has struggled with injuries this season, and

so the concern must be that he will not head to the World Cup fully fit.

However, a Torres underneath peak fitness can still score goal after goal,

producing remarkable shots and able to find the net from the most unlikely of

angles. In fact, with less than a full season behind him, and the might of a

world class Spanish team, Torres could be best placed to pop up as top

goalscorer. And with Spain likely to be involved in the latter rounds, Torres

should have the maximum opportunity to find the onion bag.

Wayne Rooney – Best Current Price 12.00

England's great hope has also suffered one or two knocks this season, but such

is his natural fitness that Rooney quickly shrugs them off, returning ahead of

even the most optimistic doctor's forecasts. The Manchester United striker will

spearhead England's World Cup charge, and in a group containing Algeria,

Slovenia and the United States, Rooney will have ample chance to fill his boots

before England get involved in the serious stuff. It's hard to think England can

win the World Cup without an on-fire Rooney, so if Fabio Capello's men do make a

charge then the striker has a great chance of ending up with the Golden Shoe.

Carlos Tevez – Best Current Price 41.00

Most Argentina watchers would probably point to Real Madrid marksman Gonzalo

Higuain or Lionel Messi as more obvious picks for the golden shoe, but Tevez has

enjoyed a brilliant campaign with Manchester City, and comes into the World Cup

in form. The 26-year-old picked up a reputation for being a hard working, but

not prolific striker: The thinking was that Tevez would run all day, but not be

a potent goal threat. Tevez's first season with Man City has proven this

assumption to be wrong. Still hard working, but also hard scoring, Tevez will

chase the most hopeless of causes and could represent some value beyond the

obvious Argentine choices.

David Villa – Best Current Price 10.00

The former Valencia hit-man is regularly described as the best finisher in La

Liga, which, given the Spanish league appears top of the charts at the moment,

must make him close to the best finisher in the world. Few who see Villa on a

weekly basis would disagree. At club level, with inferior players to Barcelona

and Real Madrid around him at Valencia, Villa looks so good it's actually hard

to believe he'd look better at the Camp Nou or Bernabeu – although he will get

his chance now Barca have snared him for £34M. With the Spanish national team he

continues to be a sensation and picked up the Golden Boot at Euro 2008. Villa is

the sensible choice to finish as the World Cup's top goalscorer, but because of

that he isn't the best priced.

Lionel Messi – Best Current Price 11.00

Journalists, pundits and commentators have simply run out of words to describe

the brilliance of Leo Messi. The little Argentine has shone out like a beacon

from the Camp Nou ever since he first pulled on a senior Barcelona shirt in

2004. Messi has been increasing his goalscoring season by season and, having won

so much, the World Cup is needed to complete an impressive set. There is also no

doubt that Messi has heard the whispers, those which say, to be considered as

good as the God-like Diego Maradona he must inspire Argentina to a World Cup.

The one problem he has encountered though, is that he has found it hard to

reproduce his club form for his country, with Maradona accused of using him

incorrectly. But few would back against Messi answering his critics in style in

South Africa.

Cristiano Ronaldo – Best Current Price 21.00

The most expensive player in the world has endured a disappointing season with

Real Madrid, but nevertheless few in Spain regret his arrival. Ronaldo has

produced some spectacular performances and Real Madrid have suffered whenever he

has missed games. The former Manchester United great is dedicated beyond belief

to his craft – his talent is not by chance. Portugal struggled at times to

emerge from what should have been a straightforward qualifying group and the

quality of Ronaldo's team-mates is a long way below that he finds in the Spanish

capital. In a group with Brazil, Ivory Coast and North Korea, it's hard to

escape the conclusion that Ronaldo will need to be on form for Portugal to

progress, and in a side which has traditionally struggled to find a competent

finisher, the Real Madrid man could fill that role with glee.

Robin van Persie – Best Current Price 21.00

The Arsenal striker saw his season badly interrupted by injury and his side's

title challenge go off the rails partly because of it. Strangely though this

could benefit van Persie during the World Cup as he finds his legs that much

fresher than opponents coming off the back of a full campaign. The fact that

Holland are an attacking side – they know no other way to play – is also going

to ensure van Persie has a great chance to find the back of the net. While a

group of Cameroon, Denmark and Japan are not easy opponents they are all

mid-ranking nations that it is not hard to imagine a Dutch team running riot

against.

Other options amongst the favourites:

Luis Fabiano – Best Current Price 13.00

The Brazilian is a hot-shot, but has been troubled by injury this year. In a

Brazil team where anyone can and does score, he risks seeing his goals shared

around.

Gonzalo Higuain – Best Current Price 19.00

Increasing in reputation at Real Madrid, Higuain can score goals. Argentina's

form is a worry though, as is the suspicion Diego Maradona does not hold him in

the very highest regard.

Didier Drogba – Best Current Price 34.00

A regular scorer for Chelsea, Drogba will suffer from being in a group with

Brazil and Portugal. He may well get a few against North Korea, but it's tough

from then on.