Any Bayern Munich player 15/1 to top score at World Cup

Coral are back with another special World Cup special with just over two weeks until the World Cup kicks off. It is for any Bayern Munich player to be the tournament’s top scorer at 15/1.

Under Pep Guardiola, Bayern seem to have adopted a more stylish brand of football. In his first season in charge, the Spaniard has led them to a domestic double, beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the cup final, and finishing 19 points ahead of their DFB Kopal opposition in the league, who placed second.

Mario Mandzukic has proved to be a revelation at Bayern, scoring 48 goals in 88 appearances, winning the treble in his first season, followed up by the domestic double. It was his scoring record for Croatia at Euro 2012 that convinced Bayern to take a punt on him. He showcased his aerial ability, notching two headed goals, eventually finishing with a tally of three.

Arjen Robben is one of the Netherlands’ main hopes, having scored 11 goals in 28 league appearances under Guardiola this season. The Dutchman’s direct running, and ability to glide past players has proved to be a constant thorn in opponents side’s over the years. His record for the national team is actually very respectable, with 22 in 73 appearances. Better than one goal in every four games. At the age of 30, it could possibly be his last World Cup, with the next generation of stars rolling off production lines at clubs like Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven.

Love him or hate him, Franck Ribery is certainly blessed with talent. Although continuously accused of gamesmanship, his record speaks for itself. From the flank he has chipped in with 10 goals in 22 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern Munich this term, and has notched 16 in 81 international matches. At 31, like Robben his time is running out, though under Didier Deschamps France look like a better prospect than they have done at previous tournaments, and it could well be Ribery’s time to shine.

It is easy to forget that Thomas Muller is still only 24, and he will only get better with age. His versatility arguably enables any team he features for to play the way they do. At both Bayern and Germany he has taken up positions on either wing, behind the striker, as a lone centre forward, and a ‘false nine’. His 13 strikes in 31 appearances under Guardiola this campaign helped the German giants to both domestic trophies, and although he has only netted 16 goals in 47 matches for his country, they have invariably been when they matter. At the last World Cup in South Africa in 2010 he was the tournament’s joint top scorer with five goals, though crucially with three assists won the Golden Boot.