Germany captain Michael Ballack will miss the World Cup
after injuring his ankle in Chelsea's FA
Cup final victory over Portsmouth.
The midfielder was felled by a nasty first-half challenge from
Kevin-Prince Boateng on the way to the Blues' 1-0 win at Wembley on
Saturday.
Ballack flew to Germany late Sunday to have a scan on his
injured right ankle, but had to wait until Monday for further
examination because of the extent of the swelling.
Unfortunately for the 33-year-old, the MRI in Munich showed
ligament damage to his right ankle, which is expected to be out of
action for eight weeks.
'This is certainly the worst diagnosis of my career,' he said
after leaving Germany team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt's
surgery in Munich.
'That's football, you have to live with it. I am angry, clearly.
I've called the coach of the national team and he's naturally
disappointed. Now I have to let it sink in.'
The German FA first released the news in a text message to
journalists before saying in statement: 'National team
captain Michael Ballack is out of the 2010 World Cup in South
Africa.
'A tear of the medial collateral ligament of the right ankle was
found. The right ankle is immobilised in a plaster. He will have to
wear a special shoe for two weeks.
'After the diagnosis of national team doctor
Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt today, a complete healing of the
injury is expected. Ballack's return to training is possible at the
earliest in eight weeks.'
The news comes as a massive blow to Germany coach Joachim Loew.
'We are shocked, no question about it, and we are all very, very
sad,' Loew said at the team's training camp in Sicily. 'He is a
very important player for us, a world class player who played a
very important role in decisive games for us.
End of the world: Ballack (right) is caught by
Boateng's mis-timed tackle
'There can be no question of resignation now. We are sure we
can still play a good tournament.'
Boateng's challenge sparked a furious reaction in
Germany, where the midfielder started his professional career at
Hertha Berlin and played for the country's Under 21 side before
pledging his international career to Ghana this year.
After the Cup final, Ballack said: 'I don’t want to blame the
Portsmouth players, but if it gets to the point when players are
getting bad injuries then it has to be stopped.’
'I have seen it on TV and to say it was not on purpose means you
have to be a friend of Boateng. Boateng was lucky to get away with
a yellow but it is football and if the referee controls the game
and decides it is no red card you have to accept it.'
Germany open their World Cup campaign against Australia and also
play Serbia and Ghana in their group.
Former boss Rudi Voller believes Ballack is irreplaceable.
'It's brutal, terrible for Michael,' said the former striker,
who managed his country from 2000 to 2004. 'He was full of optimism
and wanted to play a good World Cup.
'There are players in the team who can't be replaced and Michael
Ballack is certainly one of them .'
