Skysports.com looks at Michael Ballack's career on the day he is ruled out of the World Cup.
Skysports.com looks at Michael Ballack's career on the day he was ruled out of the World Cup
Germany captain Michael Ballack has been ruled out of the World Cup finals with an ankle injury, the German Football Federation has confirmed. His absence in South Africa will be sorely felt by the Germans, with the Chelsea star still very much a key player in Joachim Low's side. Here,
skysports.com looks at Ballack's career to date.
1976: Born September 26 in Gorlitz, in the former East Germany.
1995: Signs first professional contract for Chemnitz.
1996: Makes debut for Germany Under 21s.
1997: Moves to Kaiserslautern.
1998: Wins championship in his first season at the Fritz Walter Stadium.
1999: April 28 - Makes full international debut for Germany against Scotland.
July 1 - Completes a £3.3million move to Bayer Leverkusen.
2000: June - Plays just 63 minutes in a disappointing Euro 2000 for Germany.
2002: The World Cup in Japan and South Korea is deemed a huge success for Ballack despite him missing the final after picking up a yellow card in the semi-final. Named in FIFA's all-star team.
July 1 - Moves to Bayern Munich for £9million. His final season with Bayer had ended in heartache after they finished second in the Bundesliga and were runners-up in the German Cup and the Champions League.
August 14 - Named German Player of the Year for the first time.
2003 - Picks up the German Player of the Year award again after winning the double in his first season at Bayern.
2004 - Germany crash out of Euro 2004 at the group stage.
Ballack is subsequently named Germany captain by new coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
2005: July 27 - Completes his hat-trick of German Player of the Year awards.
December 27 - Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge says Ballack "still has a future" with the club after he fails to sign a new contract.
2006: April 13 - Despite intense speculation linking him with moves to a host of top European clubs Ballack announces that he is in "serious discussions" with Jose Mourinho's Chelsea.
May 15 - Chelsea confirm they have signed Ballack on a three-year contract.
2006: Named in FIFA's all-star team at the World Cup after leading hosts Germany to a third-place finish.
2007: February 25 - Wins League Cup medal as Chelsea beat Arsenal in Cardiff.
May 19 - Misses FA Cup final against Manchester United after undergoing surgery on an ankle. The injury kept him out for a further six months.
2008: May - Chelsea finish runners-up in the League Cup, Barclays Premier League and the Champions League.
June - Named in the team of the tournament after Germany lose in the final of Euro 2008 to Spain.
2009: May 30 - Comes on as a second-half substitute as Chelsea beat Everton in the FA Cup final.
June 2 - Signs new one-year deal at Chelsea.
2010: May 9 - Chelsea crowned Premier League champions.
May 15 - Suffers ankle injury in FA Cup final after heavy challenge from Portsmouth's Kevin-Prince Boateng.
May 17 - Ruled out of 2010 World Cup after scans reveal ankle ligament damage.
