LiberT

• Ballack ruled out after challenge from Kevin-Prince Boateng
• Midfielder’s absence will harm Germany’s bid for success

Germany’s captain Michael Ballack has been ruled out of the World Cup with the ankle injury he sustained playing in Chelsea’s 1-0 FA Cup final win over Portsmouth, the German Football Federation (DFB) has confirmed.

Ballack was injured by a tackle from Portsmouth’s Kevin-Prince Boateng in which his ankle buckled. Although the midfielder tried to play on, he was forced to come off the field before the half-time interval. He left Wembley with his leg in a protective boot. The 33-year-old underwent an MRI scan in Munich this morning to assess the damage, and the scan showed ligament damage to his right ankle.

“National team captain Michael Ballack is out of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa,” the DFB said. “This is the result of an MRI on Monday morning in Munich. 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.”

Ballack was angry about the challenge from Boateng and said yesterday: “It wasn’t a good tackle. I’ve seen it on TV and it didn’t look a good tackle. 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.”