Bangkok--9 Jul--PC & Associates Consulting
Four years in the making, the World Cup has finally reaches its mid-point and people all over the world have their eyes on the top eight countries as they go through the quarter finals - whether it’s for the love of the game or simply another excuse to chug a pint (or two). Here are the lists of top World Cup players and countries searched by the Thai football fans on google.co.th over the past week:
Top 10 players
1. Ricardo Kaka [Brazil]
One of the top players in the world and has been for a number of years, although in this World Cup, he has not managed to score a single goal.
2. Lionel Messi [Argentina]
Elected FIFA World Best player of 2009/2010 and currently playing for Argentina, one of the quarter-finalists.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo [Portugal]
The star player failed to deliver the Portugal team from a loss to Spain in the quarterfinals.
4. Gonzalo Higua?n [Argentina]
A rising star from Argentina and the only one in World Cup 2010 who consistently scored goals.
5. Miroslav Klose [Germany]
Well-known striker applauded for his winning goals against England. He now has 14 World Cup goals, only one behind the record-holder, Ronaldo.
6. Claudio Marchisio [Italy]
The attractive midfielder from Italy wins a vote of approval from Hollywood's leading entertainment website, e-Online.
7. Sebastian Veron [Argentina]
Argentina's midfielder, who normally plays for Manchester United, showed his skill in the World Cup 2010.
8. Argen Robben [Netherlands]
One of the Netherlands' star athletes whose decisive goal against Uruguay brought the Netherlands to their first-ever World Cup final.
9. Wayne Rooney [England]
Yet another Manchester United player, who was booed for his bad performance in the match against Germany, causing England to lose its chance at the World Cup.
10. Fernando Torres [Spain]
Player for Liverpool - another Thai favourite - and currently playing for Spain, one of the finalists.
The local population might be closely watching the up and coming players across the teams, but the usual favourites constantly remain at the top of mind. The graph below shows a comparison in search volume on google.co.th during the last 30 days between four of the most sought after football players at the world’s biggest sporting event. Searches for Kaka shot straight up on the 3rd of July when he was punished with a red card during the Brazil-Ivory Coast match. This created controversy amongst fans who believed it was an unfair move. Kaka’s popularity dipped soon after and Cristiano Ronaldo is set to lead the pack with rising searches. Will he be FIFA’s next World Player of the Year?
Top 10 countries
1. Spain
2. Brazil
3. Protugal
4. Germany
5. England
6. Netherlands
7. Japan
8. Argentina
9. Uruguay
10. Nigeria
Top Quarterfinalists
1. Spain
2. Brazil
3. Germany
4. Netherlands
5. Argentina
6. Uruguay
7. Ghana
8. Paraguay
About Google Inc.
Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google's targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.google.co.th.
Google is a trademark of Google Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.
Media Contacts:
Therese Lim
Google Southeast Asia
Tel: +65-6521-8194
Email:
Suchai Chalermtanasak
PC & Associates Consulting
Tel: 0 2971 3711
Email:
[email protected]