Low - Ballack still best

Coach backs Germany skipper for bright future

By Lizzie Rose   Last updated: 20th January 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Low - Ballack still best

Ballack: Bright future

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Germany coach Joachim Low insists Michael Ballack has a long-term future at international level.

The Chelsea star is set to lead out his country at the World Cup in South Africa this summer, just a couple of months before his 34th birthday.

Low will then discuss future plans with the midfielder - insisting that the skipper can start looking ahead to Euro 2012.

"Michael Ballack can certainly play another few years at the highest level, but at the end of the day, he has got to be prepared to cope with the strains," Low told Sport Bild magazine.

"We will hold proper talks after the World Cup to see how things look with him.

"First of all we have got to see how the World Cup goes."

Ballack is in line for his 100th cap for his country this year, after representing Germany in the past two World Cups and European Championships.