Kanu for Golden Ball

MILAN, Italy (Reuter): Gianluca Vialli wants this year's Golden Ball award to go to Nigeria's Olympic gold medalist Nwankwo Kanu whose football career is under threat because of a heart problem.

Vialli, who plays for English premier league club Chelsea, made his appeal on Tuesday on Italian pay-TV sports channel Telepiu2.

"It would be the best way to let this Nigerian star know that the whole world of soccer is behind him," Vialli said.

"It's a deserved award anyway for a player who is as great as he is unlucky."