The 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil may still be some way off, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t start placing your bets on who will walk away with the legendary Golden Boot award for most goals scored.

The betting for the World Cup’s Golden Boot winner has already begun – smart betters know that with the tournament so far off, there’s never been a better time to secure great odds on some of the most likely players to walk away with the coveted Golden Boot – one of world football’s most precious individual prizes, previously carried off by illustrious names such as Gary Lineker, Ronaldo, Paolo Rossi, Eusebio and Gerd Muller.

Bet on the Golden Boot Winner

As always, the big favorites to walk off with the award will come from the teams expected to do best – which means the likes of Brazil, Argentina, England, Italy, Spain and Germany will all be good bets to produce the tournament top scorer.

But with the 2014 World Cup finals so far off, how can we possibly guess who might end up top scorer? It’s a big challenge for sure, but with some great odds available, it’s one well worth taking up – so let’s have a look at some of the potential candidates who can light up the 2014 Brazil World Cup.

The South Americans

With the 2014 World Cup taking place in the home of Samba, Brazil will surely be the big favourites to take their 6th World Cup title by the time the finals come round in three years time. The Golden Boot winner nearly always comes from one of the nations that progresses into the latter stages of the tournament, and as the World Cup winners would have to play a total of seven games to take the ultimate prize that provides plenty of match time for whoever’s up top in the Brazilian attack to hit the back of the net.

So who’s going to be leading the line for Brazil in three years time? One youngster who has already established himself in the first eleven is AC Milan’s prodigy Alexandre Pato. The €16 million man was a sensation for the Brazil under 20s side, hitting 8 goals in 12 matches before he received his call up to the big boys. Since then he has done remarkably well – 6 goals in 17 international caps is not a bad start for a 21-year old who can only get better. With another three seasons of top level experience behind him, by the time the 2014 World Cup finals come around, Pato will be at the peak of his powers and a sure contender for the Golden Boot.

Another top candidate is teenage sensation Neymar, currently with Brazilian club Santos but widely tipped for big money move to Europe before long. The 19-year old has been a sensation since breaking into the Brazil first eleven, hitting 6 goals in just 10 games and leading the attack in the 2011 Copa America.

But if Brazil don’t provide the Golden Boot winner, who else can? Some might say that given European teams traditionally dismal performance in World Cups outside of Europe (South Africa was the exception!), the winner will almost certainly come from a South American team.

Argentina will be determined to push their arch-rivals all the way on their home soil, and in Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero they have three great candidates who will be reaching the peak of their powers by the time the finals come around. Messi and Aguero both possess tricks, talent and creativity to dazzle even the world’s strongest defences, while Higuain is a lethal predator in the box, as his record of 8 goals in 16 international games attests.

Elsewhere, we can expect 2010 semi-finalists and 2011 Copa America champions Uruguay to put in another strong performance in Brazil. Should Uruguay make another run to the latter stages of the finals, then expect the sublimely talented Luis Suarez of Liverpool to be amongst the goal-getters.

The Europeans

Many of the defending World Champions Spain might be reaching the twilight of their careers by the summer of 2014, but they will surely remain a potent force. While David Villa might not be around (he’ll be 33 by then), expect Fernando Torres to feature so long as he isn’t pushed out by any exciting young talents. Always a goal threat, Torres looks to be their best bet although it’s uncertain who might be partnering him up front in three years time.

Germany’s Thomas Muller was joint top scorer at the last World Cup, hitting five goals in his country’s run to the semi-finals, and will no doubt be many people’s tip to terrorize defences once again in Brazil. Alongside him, expect Lukas Podolski to still be around, along with the deadly Mario Gomez.

Italy could well provide a strong challenge for the title in 2014, with their team showing plenty of promise under coach Cesare Prandelli. With youth on their side, the likes of Mario Balotelli and Giuseppe Rossi will expect to have fully cemented their places up front by then and both know where the goal is.

English betting fans might well want to back an Englishman to secure the Golden Boot. Wayne Rooney will likely still be around in three years time, while the exciting potential of Danny Welbeck and especially Liverpool’s Andy Carroll cannot be ignored. If England can put their psychological hoodoo behind them and progress to the latter stages, one of these three could well be in amongst the top goalscorers.

Holland’s prolific Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and France’s Karim Benzema are expected to be their side’s biggest goal threats, while Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo will also be a contender.