Michael Ballack out of FIFA World Cup 2010
Michael Ballack, the Germany captain, has been ruled out of this summer’s World Cup finals with an ankle injury.
The 33-year-old Chelsea midfielder was forced off just before half-time in Saturday’s FA Cup final following a strong challenge from Portsmouth’s Kevin-Prince Boateng, the Berlin-born midfielder who has recently adopted the Ghanaian nationality of his father, and will play for Ghana in the World Cup. Ghana play Germany in Group D of the tournament.
Ballack flew to Germany in the immediate aftermath of the final – missing Chelsea’s trophy parade yesterday – and scans on his ankle injury have revealed that the problem will ensure he misses the whole tournament in South Africa.
Saturday’s match was probably Ballack’s last for the Blues as he is out of contract in the summer, and he would have been looking to use the finals as a stage upon which to earn a lucrative transfer.
The news comes as a blow to Germany boss Joachim Löw, who had named Ballack in his provisional 27-man squad for the tournament. His place in the final 23 could now be taken by young midfielders Sami Khedira, Toni Kroos or Christian Trasch, while there are now calls for veteran Torsten Frings to return to the squad after being initially omitted by Löw.
There is anger towards Boateng in Germany.
A former German under-21 international, the Pompey midfielder – who missed a penalty in Saturday’s final – was last week accused to letting down the country of his birth after opting to play for Ghana.
After his tackle on Ballack, he is now guaranteed a hostile reception from German supporters when the two sides meet on June 23rd in Johannesburg. Boateng could be coming up against his brother Jerôme, a defender in the provisional Germany squad.
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