Beckenbauer feels Kahn is Germany's key (Allsport)

By Ian Parkes, PA Sport, Yokohama

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Franz Beckenbauer is backing Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn to stop shooting stars Rivaldo and Ronaldo from firing Brazil to World Cup glory in Yokohama on Sunday.

Kahn, Rivaldo and Ronaldo are the key players in the tournament's grand finale at the International Stadium for a game being billed as the champions' showdown.

Four-times winners Brazil take on three-times world champions Germany in what is, somewhat remarkably bearing in mind the two sides have contested 12 of the previous 16 finals between them, their first meeting in World Cup history.

The aforementioned illustrious trio are also the main protagonists contesting the adidas Golden Ball, awarded to the tournament's most outstanding individual.

The three players were among a list of 10 proposed by FIFA's Technical Study Group, albeit with England centre-back Rio Ferdinand amazingly snubbed by the game's world governing body.

Despite many observers believing the game's most expensive defender at £18million has also proved himself to be the world's best during the tournament, the Leeds star is not among the top 10.

Fellow defenders, Spain's Fernando Hierro and South Korea's Myung Bo Hong, are on the list, along with another two Brazilians in Ronaldinho and Roberto Carlos, Michael Ballack of Germany, Hasan Sas of Turkey and Senegal's El Hadji Diouf.

While Ferdinand would not have picked up the award, for which representatives of the media vote on Sunday and with an announcement made Tuesday, he certainly should have figured ahead of Hierro and Hong.

Instead, Kahn, Rivaldo and Ronaldo look certain to scoop all the votes, with German legend Beckenbauer unsurprisingly siding with the player he rates as "the world's best goalkeeper" to win not only the individual honour, but also lead Germany to team glory for a fourth time.

"For me the most spectacular player so far, apart from Ronaldo and Rivaldo who are excellent players, has been Oliver Kahn," stated Beckenbauer, who captained Germany's 1974 winning team and was coach of the 1990 champions

"He has been fantastic from the start of the tournament, conceding just one goal in six matches. He has been the most outstanding player so far.

"He is the greatest and the best goalkeeper in the world, and I think it will be very, very difficult for Ronaldo, Rivaldo or whoever to beat him."

In contrast, former Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, who led the Samba stars to victory at USA 94, reckons current coach Luiz Felipe Scolari's squad will be too hot for Germany to handle.

"Brazil didn't start the competition very well as they struggled to qualify, but it shows the power of our football that we have reached three successive finals and we're confident of doing well in this final," said Parreira.

"It is not by chance we have four players nominated (for the Golden Ball), and in particular two players who have scored five or more goals and who could finish as the tournament's top scorers.

"This is the greatest asset we have in the final. The Germans don't have to stop just one player, they have to stop four good Brazilian players. This is what we are relying on if Brazil is to win the World Cup again.

"I hope my dear friend Franz does not have good memories of this game."