GERMANY: SOCCER/FOOTBALL - German midfielder Michael Ballack's international career has been ended by national coach Joachim Loew

Record ID: 1542743

  • Title: GERMANY: SOCCER/FOOTBALL - German midfielder Michael Ballack's international career has been ended by national coach Joachim Loew
  • Date: 17th June 2011
  • Summary: MUNICH, GERMANY (FILE: MAY 17, 2010) (REUTERS) (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) FORMER GERMANY CAPTAIN MICHAEL BALLACK LEAVING SPORTS CLINIC ON CRUTCHES AFTER DOCTORS HAD JUST INFORMED HIM HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SOUTH AFRICA WORLD CUP BALLACK GETTING INTO TAXI
  • Embargoed: 2nd July 2011 15:14
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany, Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA5OITHYKN4S6W670B72HM3AKY6
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Germany coach Joachim Loew on Thursday (June 16) ended Michael Ballack's international career on Thursday, releasing a statement saying that "the last few months have shown that many young players have stepped into the spotlight and have good prospects."
    "After several phone conversations with Michael it is now the time, before the start of the European championship (next year), to have a clear position," the written statement continued.
    Ballack, who won 98 caps and scored 42 goals since making his debut in 1999, has not played for the national side since March last year after sustaining an ankle injury that forced him to miss last year's World Cup.
    A gifted leader on the pitch who failed, however to win a major trophy with Germany, Ballack has been offered to bid farewell against Brazil in a friendly in August.
    One of the midfielder's lowest career moments was when he steered Germany into the 2002 World Cup final but missed that match through suspension with Brazil beating them to win the trophy.
    Ballack, who returned to Bayer Leverkusen last year from Chelsea, also captained Germany to the 2008 Euro final where they lost to Spain.
    "Michael Ballack was a leading player in the team for a decade and he has a large share in the team's success since the 2002 World Cup," Loew said in the statement.
    Loew said he had repeatedly told the player, who was retained as the official captain until now, that the younger generation of players, who were part of Germany's youngest World Cup squad in 76 years last year, were the future.
    Holding midfielders Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira formed an impressive partnership in his absence at the World Cup in South Africa last year, with youngsters Sven Bender and Toni Kroos also available for those positions.
    "In our talks I had the impression that he understood our view. So in the interest of everyone an honest and clear decision was appropriate," Loew said.
    Leverkusen, with whom Ballack reached the Champions League final in 2002 before leaving for Bayern Munich and Chelsea, said they were disappointed.
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