• World Cup

Ballack ruled out of World Cup

ESPN staff
May 17, 2010
Michael Ballack's World Cup dreams are over © Getty Images
Enlarge

Germany captain Michael Ballack has been ruled out of the World Cup finals on account of an ankle injury.

Ballack limped out of the FA Cup final on Saturday following a tackle from Kevin-Prince Boateng and confirmed after Chelsea's win that he would be heading for a scan.

The results have come back negative as far as Ballack and Germany are concerned as the damage is severe enough to rule him out of the World Cup which begins on June 11.

"National team captain Michael Ballack is out of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. This is the result of an MRI on Monday morning in Munich," read a statement from the German FA.

"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."

It will be a bitter blow to Ballack and is unlikely to have improve his mood, given he was upset with Boateng's challenge.

"It wasn't a good tackle," Ballack said. "I've seen it on TV and it didn't look a good tackle and when I was on the pitch, I knew it would be really difficult to carry on. I tried, but it wasn't possible. I've had a few injuries and if you can't carry on, that's always a bad sign. Sometimes it's bruising or sometimes it's a nerve that stops you."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Close

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices