Michael Ballack
Ballack in 2014
Personal information
Full name Michael Ballack[1]
Date of birth (1976-09-26) 26 September 1976
Place of birth Görlitz, East Germany
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1983–1988 BSG Motor "Fritz Heckert" Karl-Marx-Stadt
1988–1995 Chemnitzer FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1997 Chemnitzer FC II 18 (5)
1995–1997 Chemnitzer FC 49 (10)
1997–1998 1. FC Kaiserslautern II 17 (8)
1997–1999 1. FC Kaiserslautern 46 (4)
1999–2002 Bayer Leverkusen 79 (27)
2002–2006 Bayern Munich 107 (44)
2006–2010 Chelsea 105 (17)
2010–2012 Bayer Leverkusen 35 (2)
Total 456 (117)
International career
1996–1998 Germany U21 19 (7)
1999–2010 Germany 98 (42)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Germany
FIFA World Cup
Runner-up2002 Korea/Japan
Third place2006 Germany
UEFA European Championship
Runner-up2008 Switzerland/Austria
FIFA Confederations Cup
Third place2005 Germany
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Michael Ballack (German pronunciation: [ˈmɪçaːʔeːl ˈbalak]; born 26 September 1976) is a German former professional footballer. He is among the top goal scorers in the history of the Germany national team. Ballack wore the number 13 shirt for every team he has played for, except 1. FC Kaiserslautern. He was selected by Pelé as one of FIFA's 100 Greatest Living Players, and as the UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year in 2002. He won the German Footballer of the Year award three times – in 2002, 2003 and 2005. Ballack was known for his passing range, powerful shot, physical strength and commanding presence in midfield.[3][4]

Ballack began his career as a youth at enterprise sports community BSG Motor "Fritz Heckert" Karl-Marx-Stadt in 1983. He then joined the youth department of football club FC Karl-Marx-Stadt.[5] Ballack made his debut for Germany's under-21 side on 26 March 1996. Although the team were relegated in his first season, his performances in the Regionalliga the following season led to a transfer to 1. FC Kaiserslautern in 1997. He won the Bundesliga in his first season at the club, his first major honour. He became a first team regular in 1998–99 season and also earned his first senior national cap for Germany. He moved to Bayer Leverkusen for €4.1 million in 1999. The 2001–02 season saw him win a slew of runners-up medals: Bayer Leverkusen finished second in the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, UEFA Champions League and Germany lost to Brazil in the 2002 World Cup Final.

A €12.9 million move to Bayern Munich led to further honours: the team won the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double in 2003, 2005 and 2006. Ballack had become a prolific goalscorer from midfield, scoring 58 goals for Bayern between 2002 and 2006. He joined Premier League club Chelsea in mid-2006 and won English honours in his first season at the club. Injury ruled him out of much of 2007, but he returned the following season to help Chelsea reach their first ever Champions League final. He also went on to win the FA Cup again in 2009 and then once more as part of a league and cup double in 2010.

Internationally, Ballack has played in the UEFA European Football Championship in 2000, 2004 and 2008, and the FIFA World Cup in 2002 and 2006. Jürgen Klinsmann appointed him captain of the national team in 2004. Ballack scored consecutive game-winning goals in the quarter-final and semi-final to help his country to the 2002 World Cup final and led his team to the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup and the Euro 2008 final.

Early life

Ballack was born on 26 September 1976 in Görlitz,[6] a town in Bezirk Dresden, East Germany (now Saxony, Germany). He is the only child of Stephan Ballack, an engineer, and his wife Karin, a secretary. The family moved to Chemnitz (then called Karl-Marx-Stadt) when Ballack was very young and it was there that he started to play football. He first began playing football for sports community.

Club career

Chemnitzer FC

Ballack's parents sent him to train with sports community BSG Motor "Fritz Heckert" Karl-Marx-Stadt at the age of seven. Ballack was praised by coach Steffen Hänisch. Hänisch was particularly impressed by the well-developed technique for Ballack's age and his ability to shoot with both feet. Ballack was then allowed to attend the elite Children and Youth Sports School (KSJ) "Emil Wallner" in Karl-Marx-Stadt.[7] He then joined the larger and more promoted football club FC Karl-Marx-Stadt (renamed Chemnitzer FC in 1990) in 1988. The father of Ballack had played second-division football himself in Germany.

In 1995, Ballack earned his first professional contract, thanks to his performances in the role of central midfielder. He was dubbed the "Little Kaiser", in reference to Franz Beckenbauer, who was nicknamed "Der Kaiser". His professional debut came on 4 August 1995, on the first day of the new 2. Bundesliga season. Chemnitz lost the game 2–1, against VfB Leipzig.[8] At the end of the season, during which Ballack made 15 appearances, Chemnitz were relegated to the multi-tiered, regional third division.[5] The following season, Ballack became a regular first-team player as Chemnitz missed out on an immediate return to the Bundesliga. He did not miss a game and scored ten goals for the "Sky Blues". It was not enough for Chemnitz to be promoted, but in the summer of 1997, coach Otto Rehhagel of just-promoted 1. FC Kaiserslautern signed Ballack at their return to top flight football.[6]

1. FC Kaiserslautern

It was during the seventh match of the 1997–98 Bundesliga season, away to Karlsruhe, that Rehhagel decided to give Ballack his first Bundesliga appearance, substituting him onto the field for the final five minutes of the encounter.[9] On 28 March 1998, Ballack made his first-team debut-start against Bayer Leverkusen.[10]

Ballack made 16 appearances for his new team during the season as the club became the first-ever newly promoted team to lift the Bundesliga title.[6] In the following season, Ballack became both a regular member of the team (he made 30 appearances, scoring 4 goals in the league) and one of the side's leading players. Kaiserslautern reached the quarter finals of the Champions League, but were eliminated by Bayern Munich.[11]

On 1 July 1999, Ballack moved to Bayer Leverkusen at age 22 for a transfer fee of €4.1 million.

Bayer Leverkusen

It was at Bayer Leverkusen that Ballack made his breakthrough. Coaches Christoph Daum and Klaus Toppmöller granted him an attacking role in the midfield. Ballack was instrumental to the success of Leverkusen, scoring 27 goals in the league[5] and nine in Europe over the course of his three seasons at the BayArena.

In 2000, Bayer Leverkusen needed only a draw against minnows SpVgg Unterhaching to win the Bundesliga title, but an own goal by Ballack helped send the team to a crushing 0–2 defeat,[12] while Bayern Munich clinched the title with a 3–1 victory over Werder Bremen.[13] The 2001–02 season was a disappointing one for Bayer Leverkusen. In the Bundesliga, the team surrendered a five-point lead at the top of the table over the last three games of the season to finish second behind Borussia Dortmund; lost the UEFA Champions League final 2–1 to Real Madrid; and lost the DFB-Pokal final 4–2 to Schalke 04. These three runner-up finishes were dubbed a "Treble Horror": Bayer Leverkusen was dubbed "Bayer Neverkusen" in English, while the German nickname became Vizekusen.[6] Ballack and Leverkusen teammates Bernd Schneider, Carsten Ramelow and Oliver Neuville were also beaten finalists with Germany in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, although Ballack was suspended for the final itself. Ballack finished with 17 league goals and his performance over the season led to him being voted into the UEFA.com users' Team of 2002 as well as being named German Footballer of the Year.

Bayern Munich

Ballack playing for Bayern Munich in April 2006

In spite of Real Madrid's interest, Ballack decided to sign with Bayern Munich in a €6 million deal in 2002 after his impressive performances in the World Cup. In his first season with the club, Bayern won the Bundesliga with 75 points as well as the DFB-Pokal, with Ballack scoring twice and defeating former club 1. FC Kaiserslautern in the latter's final.[14] In his second season, however, Bayern lost both their Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal crowns to Werder Bremen.

In his third season with the Bavarians, Ballack enjoyed success in the 2004–05 season as Bayern Munich completed another double. New coach Felix Magath stated he was the only automatic starter in their midfield.[15] In four seasons at Bayern, Ballack won three Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal doubles, scoring 44 goals in 107 Bundesliga matches.[16] Between 1998 and 2005, Ballack scored 61 goals in total in the domestic league.[5]

Ballack's critics, however, noted his frequent "choking" in important Champions League matches. This resulted in open public criticism from club general manager Uli Hoeneß, communications director Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and club president Franz Beckenbauer, all former Bayern players. Beckenbauer later went as far as to accuse Ballack of "saving his strength" for prospective employers after Ballack turned in an average performance in the 2006 DFB-Pokal final against Eintracht Frankfurt.[17]

Chelsea

Ballack agreed to join English Premier League club Chelsea on a free transfer on 15 May 2006.[18] During his last season with Bayern, there were rumours of interest from Manchester United, Real Madrid, Internazionale and Milan,[19] but Ballack instead chose to go to Stamford Bridge. Shortly after arriving at Chelsea, Ballack stated that he hoped to end his career at Chelsea.[20]

2006–07 season

Ballack with Chelsea in 2008

Ballack's debut for Chelsea came on 31 July 2006, during a practice match at UCLA's intramural football pitch. Chelsea presented him to the media the following day where the club also gave him his favoured number 13 shirt, worn throughout his career. Upon doing so, William Gallas, who previously wore the number 13 shirt for Chelsea, was given the number 3 shirt. This move created animosity between Gallas and the club as Gallas felt that he was underappreciated.[21] Ballack made his competitive debut in the 2006 FA Community Shield, but went off injured in the first half.[22] On 27 August 2006, Ballack made his Premier League debut for Chelsea against Blackburn Rovers.[23] On 12 September, he scored his first goal for the club on his Champions League debut against Werder Bremen.[24]

He received the first straight red card of his career in Chelsea's 1–0 win over Liverpool on 17 September 2006, after being judged to have stamped on Mohamed Sissoko's leg.[25] Ballack scored his first Premier League goal on 21 October 2006 against Portsmouth at Stamford Bridge with a header. His first FA Cup goal came in the 109th minute in the semi-final against Blackburn on 15 April 2007. This goal resulted in Chelsea progressing into the FA Cup final. He scored eight goals in all competitions for the club in the 2006–07 season, including a free-kick against Everton at Goodison Park, as well as a half-volley against Porto which sent Chelsea through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Throughout his first season at Chelsea, Ballack was criticised for his lethargic performances – for playing as though he had "a huge cigar in his mouth".[26]

On 29 April 2007, Chelsea released a statement on their official website, informing fans that Ballack had undergone ankle surgery in Munich.[27] As a result, Ballack did not play in the FA Cup final against Manchester United, which Chelsea won 1–0 through Didier Drogba's extra time goal. This was Ballack's second trophy this season, his first being the League Cup, the final of which he started.

2007–08 season

Despite persistent rumours in the summer 2007 transfer window, Ballack denied that he wanted to leave and no such move materialised. Chelsea left Ballack out of their Champions League squad for the 2007–08 group stage as they realised that his injury would prevent him from playing any useful part and preferred to select the fully fit Steve Sidwell. The German international had an ankle operation in the summer and Chelsea could not take the risk of him not regaining full fitness before the end of the group stage. Thus, Ballack could not play in the Champions League before the knockout stages began in February.[28] The club was only able to select 23 out of a possible 25 players for their Champions League squad due to the new UEFA regulations on "association-trained players" and "club-trained players". Due to this regulation, Chelsea were also unable to select young player Scott Sinclair and could only pick 23 players as their only "club-trained player" was John Terry. For this reason, it was deemed unwise to gamble on Ballack being fit at some point.[29]

Ballack made his return to the side in Chelsea's 2–0 League Cup win over Liverpool on 19 December 2007. Ballack tallied an assist late in the game to striker Andriy Shevchenko. On 26 December 2007, Ballack made his Premier League return in a thrilling game against Aston Villa which ended 4–4. He came on for Frank Lampard in the 26th minute after the latter had picked up a thigh injury. In first-half stoppage time, he won a penalty after being brought down in the box by Zat Knight, which Andriy Shevchenko converted. In the 88th minute, with the score tied at 3–3, Ballack stepped up to take a free-kick, which he buried into the bottom left corner of the goal, but the match ended in a 4–4 draw.

Ballack in action against Fulham in December 2009

Ballack captained the Chelsea team in the absence of captain John Terry and vice-captain Frank Lampard in a 2–1 win over Newcastle United on 29 December 2007. Ballack then played his 50th game in a Chelsea shirt in a 2–1 win against Fulham in which he scored the winning goal for Chelsea. He also scored the only goal that won the match for Chelsea against Reading to extend the blues' winning streak to a record of nine. And, on 5 March 2007, he scored again, this time against Olympiacos in the Champions League round of 16 in a 3–0 win. He scored the winning goal in the 2–0 win in the second leg of the quarter-finals against Fenerbahçe, a victory that secured Chelsea a place in the semi-finals.

Ballack continued to score vital goals and, on 26 April 2008, he scored a header and a penalty to give Chelsea a 2–1 win over Manchester United. He was named Man of The Match for his performance. It brought the two teams level in the race for the Premier League title only two matchdays before the end of the season.

The season ended on a low note for Ballack as Chelsea finished runners-up in the League Cup, Premier League and Champions League. This completed another treble horror for Ballack and his club. On 29 June 2008, Germany, captained by Ballack, lost to Spain 1–0 in the final of UEFA Euro 2008. This became the second season in Ballack's career after 2002 that he was runner-up for four major trophies.

2008–09 season

The 2008–09 season started well for Ballack, as he set up Joe Cole to score the first goal in a 4–0 win over Portsmouth in the first game of the season. Ballack was injured shortly after missing the games against Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal. Ballack's return from injury has been a lift for Chelsea as he set up Deco to score a scissor kick in a 2–0 win against Bolton Wanderers. Ballack's first goal of the '09 season came against Southend United in their FA Cup replay, a match which Chelsea went on to win 4–1. Ballack's first Premier League goal of the 2008–09 season came on 11 April 2009 in a match against Bolton, ending 4–3 for Chelsea. He came on as a second-half substitute as Chelsea won the 2009 FA Cup final. On 2 June 2009, Ballack signed a one-year contract extension with Chelsea.[30]

Ballack on the ground with the ankle injury in the 2010 FA Cup Final that eventually ruled him out of the World Cup after a tackle from Boateng (23)

2009–10 season

In Chelsea's second game of the season, away at Sunderland, Ballack scored his first goal of the 2009–10 campaign in their 3–1 win. Ballack also scored against Burnley in a 3–0 win. Ballack made his first Champions League appearance for the season against Porto. On 20 September 2009, he scored his third league goal, against Tottenham. On 17 January 2010, he scored his fourth league goal and third assist in a 7–2 win against Sunderland. In Chelsea's fifth round FA Cup tie against Cardiff City, Ballack scored the goal which put the Blues back in front; Chelsea ultimately won 4–1.

Ballack was sent off in Chelsea's 4–2 defeat against Manchester City on 27 February 2010.[31] Chelsea went on to win the 2009–10 Premier League, Ballack's first league title in England.[32] He also started as Chelsea were victorious against Portsmouth in the 2010 FA Cup final, however he would come off injured shortly before half-time after a tackle by Kevin-Prince Boateng. As a result of the injury, Ballack was not able to participate in the 2010 World Cup.[6][33]

Wikinews has related news:

On 9 June 2010, it was announced that Ballack, along with teammates Joe Cole and Juliano Belletti, would leave Chelsea on a free transfer after his contract was not renewed.[34] It was reported that while manager Carlo Ancelotti wanted to retain Ballack, club owner Roman Abramovich was only willing to offer a one-year deal due to Ballack's age.[33] As of December 2012, Ballack had the lowest loss record of any player with more than 100 appearances in the Premier League, losing just 10 of his 105 appearances.[35]

Return to Bayer Leverkusen

On 25 June 2010, Ballack signed a two-year contract with former club Bayer Leverkusen.[36] On 19 August 2010, he scored the first goal for Leverkusen in a 3–0 win against Tavriya Simferopol in the UEFA Europa League qualifiers. On 6 October 2010, it was announced that Ballack would not play again in 2010 at the club or international level due to a shin injury sustained 11 September 2010 in a Bundesliga match against Hannover 96.

On 20 February 2011, Ballack made his return from injury, coming on as a substitute for Simon Rolfes against VfB Stuttgart; Leverkusen won the match 4–2. Ballack scored his second Europa League goal against Metalist Kharkiv, a match Leverkusen won 2–0 and the two-legged tie 6–0 on aggregate to progress to the round of 16.[37] Ballack played the full 90 minutes against Schalke 04, assisting Eren Derdiyok's goal in an eventual 2–0 victory.[38]

Retirement

Ballack announced his retirement on 2 October 2012.[39][40] He had been in talks with Major League Soccer's Montreal Impact and A-League club Western Sydney Wanderers.[39]

On 5 June 2013, Ballack played a farewell match at Leipzig's Red Bull Arena. The match was won by a World XI 4–3 against the "Friends of Ballack", with Ballack scoring his second hat-trick in his career. First he scored two goals with "Friends of Ballack" in the first half and scored his third goal and the winner in the second half for the World XI. Participants in the match included former teammates and friends Lothar Matthäus, Didier Drogba, Miroslav Klose, Andriy Shevchenko, Phillip Lahm, Hasan Salihamidžić, Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Essien, André Schürrle, Ricardo Carvalho, Dietmar Hamann, Florent Malouda, Carsten Jancker, Torsten Frings, Jens Lehmann, Christian Wörns, Mehdi Mahdavikia and Per Mertesacker, as well as Formula 1 racing driver Michael Schumacher. The teams were coached by Ballack's former Chelsea coach José Mourinho and his former national team coach Rudi Völler.[41]

International career

Ballack converting a penalty for Germany at the 2005 Confederations Cup in a match against Australia

On 26 March 1996, Ballack debuted for the Germany national under-21 team against Denmark, shortly after signing for Chemnitzer FC. In all, he played 19 matches for this side, scoring four goals. Then, following his move to 1. FC Kaiserslautern, senior team head coach Berti Vogts called him up to the squad.

Ballack's first senior Germany appearance, however, did not come until 28 April 1999, when he came on as a substitute for Dietmar Hamann in a match against Scotland.[42]

Ballack only played 63 minutes at UEFA Euro 2000. In the 2002 FIFA World Cup, he scored in matches against the United States and South Korea during the knockout rounds as Germany reached the final. However, he was booked for a tactical foul during the semi-final match against South Korea and was suspended for the final, which Germany went on to lose 2–0 to Brazil. He was included in the World Cup All Star Team. Ballack missing the final ultimately led to a lasting revision of the yellow card amnesty rule in order "to give the best players a chance to play in the final".[43] Following Euro 2004, Jürgen Klinsmann replaced Rudi Völler at the helm of the national team and Ballack took over from Oliver Kahn as captain. He scored three goals — all penalties — in the 2005 Confederations Cup, in which Germany were eliminated by Brazil in the semifinals.[44]

Ballack (#13) during the match against Sweden at the 2006 World Cup

In the 2006 World Cup, he was unable to start in Germany's first game against Costa Rica due to a calf strain, but appeared in the following five matches. Germany were eliminated in the semi-finals, but they managed to clinch third place in a match against Portugal. He was named Man of the Match in the games against Ecuador and Argentina,[45] and was included in FIFA's World Cup All Star Team for a second consecutive time. After the tournament, Klinsmann stood down as national team head coach and was succeeded by assistant Joachim Löw.

Ballack started and captained Germany in their first game of Euro 2008 against Poland.[46] He proved to be an influential figure in the midfield as Germany came back from a shock defeat to Croatia to make it to the final, scoring a free kick against Austria to secure Germany a 1–0 win and a place in the quarter-finals.[47] In the quarter-finals, he scored a header against Portugal to make the score 3–1 in their 3–2 win after an assist by Bastian Schweinsteiger's 60th minute free-kick, helping Germany to advance to the semi-finals. Germany went on to beat Turkey 3–2 in the semifinals. Prior to the final, Ballack sustained a calf injury but eventually overcame it in time. Germany, however, ended up losing 1–0 to Spain. Nevertheless, he was named in the Squad of the Tournament.[48]

Ballack scored four goals in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, but missed the 2010 World Cup after suffering an ankle injury from a foul by Portsmouth's Kevin-Prince Boateng in the 2009–10 FA Cup final.[49] Ballack did travel to South Africa to provide moral support for the national team but he departed after Philipp Lahm, who was appointed team captain due to Ballack's injury, commented after the quarter-finals that he would not relinquish the captaincy back to Ballack. Team manager Oliver Bierhoff criticized Lahm's comments and clarified the situation, saying, "Philipp Lahm is the World Cup captain and Michael Ballack is still the captain."[50]

Ballack in 2009

Germany played strongly in the tournament despite Ballack's absence, including a 4–1 win over England and a 4–0 win over Argentina en route to finishing third, thanks to emerging midfield talents such as Sami Khedira, Thomas Müller, and Mesut Özil.[51] Former German captain Lothar Matthäus suggested that Ballack's absence had allowed these young players to blossom.[52]

Since the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, Ballack had not been called up for any international matches. It was reported that Germany coach Joachim Löw was waiting for Ballack to retire from international football after the 2010 World Cup, however Ballack refused to give up despite a rash of injuries suffered in 2010–11 with Bayer Leverkusen.[53] On 16 June 2011, it was announced that Ballack would no longer be a part of the national team. The German Football Association (DFB) offered him two friendlies to reach 100 matches for Germany, which he refused, accusing Löw of disrespecting him ever since his injury dating back to March 2010 and calling the invitation to compete in another two games for Germany a "farce".[54][55]

Ballack organized a farewell game by himself and invited Löw and Lahm. The teams on the pit were named Worldplayers vs. Ballack and Friends. Lahm played for 90 minutes. In attendance were Boris Becker, Michael Schumacher, Lothar Matthäus and Rudi Völler.[56]

Style of play

Ballack is considered to be one of the best and most versatile midfielders of his generation;[57] normally deployed in the centre[58] in a box-to-box role,[59] he played in several midfield positions during his career,[3] including in the roles of offensive and holding midfielder,[60] and was noted for his powerful shot with both feet.[3] Due to his tall frame, he was also known for his ability in the air, which made him a goal threat on set pieces.[61] He also excelled at making late runs into the penalty area.[62]

On a technical level, he was a commanding, physically strong and aggressive player, with excellent passing range, who moved the ball efficiently,[3] and who was capable of creating chances for his team.[63] An elegant player on the ball,[62] the technicality and intelligence of his game was extremely high.[64][65][66] He started his football career as a sweeper,[64] but when he moved to Leverkusen in 1999, then-coach Christoph Daum moved him to midfield.[67] He adapted to playing in a deeper role on occasion during his spell at Chelsea.[60][68] Ballack was also a strong tackler, which combined with his stamina, as well as his aerial, playmaking, and goalscoring abilities, made him a "complete midfielder," as he was once described by Ben Welch of FourFourTwo magazine in 2013.[59][65][69]

Beyond his playing ability, Ballack also stood out for his leadership qualities throughout his career.[70] In 2011, Ballack's international coach at the time, Joachim Löw, praised him, describing him as a player who "exudes authority and calm on the pitch".[71] Despite his ability as a player, his later career was often limited by recurring injury struggles.[69]

Personal life

Ballack's surname is of Sorbian origin.[72] He was the only child of father Stephan, an engineer who played third-division football, and mother Karin, a secretary and swimmer.[73]

On 14 July 2008, Ballack married his long-time girlfriend Simone Lambe.[74] The couple had three children together: Louis (born 2001), Emilio (2002–2021), and Jordi (born 2005).[75] The couple divorced in 2012. He dated Natacha Tannous from 2015 to 2019.[76]

During Euro 2012, the 2014 World Cup, and Euro 2016, Ballack worked as a studio analyst for ESPN, often alongside Alexi Lalas.[77]

His son, Emilio, died in a quad bike crash on 5 August 2021 at the age of 18.[78]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Europe Other Total Ref.
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Chemnitzer FC II 1994–95 Oberliga Nordost Süd 72––––72[16]
1995–96 Oberliga Nordost Süd 113––––113[16]
Total 18500000000185 —
Chemnitzer FC 1995–96 2. Bundesliga 15010–––160[79][80]
1996–97 Regionalliga Nordost 341010–––3510[16][81]
Total 4910200000005110 —
1. FC Kaiserslautern 1997–98 Bundesliga 16020–––180[82]
1998–99 Bundesliga 304201060–394[83]
Total 46440106000574 —
Bayer Leverkusen 1999–2000 Bundesliga 233000022–255[84]
2000–01 Bundesliga 277201052–359[85]
2001–02 Bundesliga 29174010166–5023[86]
Total 7927602023100011037 —
Bayern Munich 2002–03 Bundesliga 2610540071–3815[87]
2003–04 Bundesliga 287321280–4011[88]
2004–05 Bundesliga 2713432292–4220[89]
2005–06 Bundesliga 2614510061–3716[90]
Total 107441710343040015762 —
Chelsea 2006–07 Premier League 265316010210468[91]
2007–08 Premier League 18720009200299[92]
2008–09 Premier League 2916310100–464[93]
2009–10 Premier League 32441206010455[94]
Total 10517155903542016626 —
Bayer Leverkusen 2010–11 Bundesliga 17000–32–202[95]
2011–12 Bundesliga 18210–61–253[96]
Total 35210009300455 —
Career total 43910945151541032120604149 —
  • 1.^ There was no other competition in Germany other than the league, German Cup, German League Cup, and European competitions.
  • 2.^ Includes FA Community Shield.

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Germany 199930
200090
200196
2002116
200352
2004138
2005117
2006146
200720
2008124
200983
201010
Total9842
Scores and results list Germany's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ballack goal.
List of international goals scored by Michael Ballack
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
128 March 2001Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece Greece2–14–22002 FIFA World Cup qualification
22 June 2001Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland Finland2–12–22002 FIFA World Cup qualification
36 June 2001Selman Stërmasi Stadium, Tirana, Albania Albania2–02–02002 FIFA World Cup qualification
410 November 2001Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex, Kyiv, Ukraine Ukraine1–11–12002 FIFA World Cup qualification
514 November 2001Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany Ukraine1–04–12002 FIFA World Cup qualification
64–0
71 June 2002Sapporo Dome, Sapporo, Japan Saudi Arabia3–08–02002 FIFA World Cup
821 June 2002Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium, Ulsan, South Korea United States1–01–02002 FIFA World Cup
925 June 2002Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea South Korea1–01–02002 FIFA World Cup
1021 August 2002Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria Bulgaria1–12–2Friendly
117 September 2002Darius and Girėnas Stadium, Kaunas, Lithuania Lithuania1–02–02004 UEFA Euro qualification
1216 October 2002HDI-Arena, Hanover, Germany Faroe Islands1–02–12004 UEFA Euro qualification
1310 September 2003Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany Scotland2–02–12004 UEFA Euro qualification
1411 October 2003Volksparkstadion, Hamburg, Germany Iceland1–03–02004 UEFA Euro qualification
1531 March 2004Rhein Energie Stadion, Köln, Germany Belgium3–03–0Friendly
1627 May 2004Schwarzwald-Stadion, Freiburg, Germany Malta1–07–0Friendly
172–0
185–0
196–0
2023 June 2004Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal Czech Republic1–01–2UEFA Euro 2004
2116 December 2004Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Japan Japan2–03–0Friendly
2219 December 2004Busan Asiad Main Stadium, Busan, South Korea South Korea1–13–1Friendly
234 June 2005The Oval, Belfast, Northern Ireland Northern Ireland2–14–1Friendly
243–1
2515 June 2005Commerzbank Arena, Frankfurt, Germany Australia3–24–32005 FIFA Confederations Cup
2618 June 2005Rhein Energie Stadion, Köln, Germany Tunisia1–03–02005 FIFA Confederations Cup
2725 June 2005Max-Morlock-Stadion, Nuremberg, Germany Brazil2–22–32005 FIFA Confederations Cup
2829 June 2005Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany Mexico4–34–3 a.e.t.2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
2917 August 2005De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands Netherlands2–12–2Friendly
3022 March 2006Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany United States4–04–1Friendly
312 June 2006Borussia Park, Mönchengladbach, Germany Colombia1–03–0Friendly
326 September 2006San Marino Stadium, Serravalle, San Marino San Marino3–013–02008 UEFA Euro Qualification
337 October 2006Ostseestadion, Rostock, Germany Georgia2–02–0Friendly
3411 October 2006Štadión Pasienky, Bratislava, Slovakia Slovakia2–03–02008 UEFA Euro qualification
3515 November 2006GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus Cyprus1–01–12008 UEFA Euro qualification
3631 May 2008Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany Serbia2–12–1Friendly
3716 June 2008Ernst Happel Stadion, Vienna, Austria Austria1–01–0UEFA Euro 2008
3819 June 2008St. Jakob Park, Basel, Switzerland Portugal3–13–2UEFA Euro 2008
3911 October 2008Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany Russia2–02–12010 FIFA World Cup qualification
4028 March 2009Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany Liechtenstein1–04–02010 FIFA World Cup qualification
411 April 2009Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales Wales1–02–02010 FIFA World Cup qualification
429 September 2009HDI Arena, Hanover, Germany Azerbaijan1–04–02010 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

1. FC Kaiserslautern[97]

Bayer Leverkusen

Bayern Munich[97]

Chelsea[97]

Germany[97][5]

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players: Germany" (PDF). FIFA. 21 March 2014. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2019.
  2. ↑ "Ballack - Chelseafc.com". Archived from the original on 26 November 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Grohmann, Karolos (2 October 2012). "Former Germany captain Ballack retires at 36". in.mobile.reuters.com. Reuters. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  4. ↑ "Player Profile". ESPN Soccernet. Archived from the original on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Michael Ballack". Fussballdaten.de. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Michael Ballack: a nearly man or an undisputed midfield genius?". The Guardian. 5 June 2013. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  7. ↑ "Michael Ballack privat: Ist der DFB-Star nach der Trennung wieder zu haben?". news.de (in German). Leipzig: MM New Media GmbH. 5 August 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  8. ↑ "Chemnitzer FC – VfB Leipzig". Fussballdaten.de (in German). Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  9. ↑ "Karlsruher SC – 1. FC Kaiserslautern". Fussballdaten.de (in German). Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  10. ↑ "1. FC Kaiserslautern – Bayer Leverkusen". Fussballdaten.de (in German). Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  11. ↑ Marcel Haisma (15 January 2010). "Michael Ballack – Matches in European Cups". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  12. ↑ "SpVgg Unterhaching – Bayer Leverkusen". Fussballdaten.de (in German). Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  13. ↑ "Der 34. Spieltag der Bundesliga 1999/2000". Fussballdaten.de (in German). Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  14. ↑ "Der DFB-Pokal Sieg 2003". fcbayern.com. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  15. ↑ "Balanced Ballack is the finished article". The Daily Telegraph. UK. 7 March 2006. Archived from the original on 25 December 2007. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Arnhold, Matthias (20 December 2012). "Michael Ballack – Matches and League Goals". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  17. ↑ "Rummenigge: Ballack Deal Done". Sporting Life. 29 April 2006. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  18. ↑ "Chelsea announce Ballack capture". BBC Sport. 15 May 2006. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 15 May 2006.
  19. ↑ "Ballack to keep suitors waiting". BBC Sport. 16 November 2005. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 15 May 2006.
  20. ↑ "Ballack intends to stay at Chelsea for rest of career". The Daily Telegraph. 12 March 2009. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  21. ↑ Hatherall, Chris (3 August 2006). "Mourinho gives Ballack Gallas' lucky No 13 shirt". The Independent on Sunday. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 28 November 2008.
  22. ↑ "Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool". BBC. 31 August 2006. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  23. ↑ Sinnott, John (27 August 2006). "Blackburn 0-2 Chelsea". BBC. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  24. ↑ McNulty, Phil (12 September 2006). "Chelsea 2-0 Werder Bremen". BBC. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  25. ↑ "Ballack sent off against Liverpool". BBC Sport. 17 September 2006. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  26. ↑ Hansen, Alan (27 November 2006). "Time for Ballack and Shevchenko to deliver". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 24 December 2009.
  27. ↑ "Statement on Michael Ballack". Chelsea F.C. 28 April 2007. Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  28. ↑ "Blues omit Ballack from Euro list". BBC Sport. 4 September 2007. Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  29. ↑ "Kenyon Makes Ballack Statement". Chelsea FC. 5 September 2007. Archived from the original on 14 October 2007. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  30. ↑ "Ballack deal agreed". Chelsea F.C. 2 June 2009. Archived from the original on 16 September 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  31. ↑ "Tevez sinks Blues". ESPN Soccernet. 27 February 2009. Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  32. ↑ "Chelsea break records to win title". ESPN FC. 9 May 2009. Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  33. 1 2 James, Grant (9 October 2012). "Michael Ballack: Farewell to a Chelsea Legend". Football Analysis. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  34. ↑ "Joe Cole, Juliano Belletti and Michael Ballack to leave Chelsea". BBC Sport. 9 June 2010. Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  35. ↑ "The golden rule". Sky Sports. 13 December 2012.
  36. ↑ "Bayer Leverkusen sign Michael Ballack on two-year contract". The Guardian. 25 June 2010. Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  37. ↑ "Leverkusen prove too strong for Metalist". UEFA. 24 February 2011. Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
  38. ↑ "Leverkusen narrow gap on Dortmund". Deutsche Welle. 20 March 2011. Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  39. 1 2 "Ex-Capitano Michael Ballack beendet seine Karriere". Die Welt (in German). 2 October 2012. Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  40. ↑ "Ballack announces retirement". ESPN FC. 2 October 2012. Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  41. ↑ "Football stars celebrate Ballack's career in charity match". Deutsche Welle. 5 June 2013. Archived from the original on 21 July 2010.
  42. ↑ "Ballack's debut against Scotland". Fussballdaten.de (in German). Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  43. ↑ Cawthorne, Andrew (19 June 2010). "Yellow card rule changed to keep big names in final". Reuters. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  44. ↑ "FIFA CONFEDERATIONS CUP: HOST GERMANY LOSE 2-3 AGAINST BRAZIL". dfb.de. 26 June 2005. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
  45. ↑ "13 BALLACK Michael". FIFA. Archived from the original on 11 August 2006. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  46. ↑ "Germany–Poland Euro 08". Fussballdaten.de (in German). Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  47. ↑ Mamrud, Roberto (17 September 2010). "Michael Ballack – Goals in International Matches". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  48. ↑ Williams, Simon. "Euro 2008: The Official UEFA Squad Of The Tournament". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  49. ↑ "DFB: Ballack fällt für die WM aus" (in German). ZDF. 17 May 2010. Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  50. ↑ "A Power Struggle on the Germany National Team?". Spiegel Online. 6 July 2010. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  51. ↑ "The Team Is 'Winning Hearts Beyond Germany's Borders'". Spiegel Online. 5 July 2010. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  52. ↑ Ogden, Mark (3 July 2010). "Argentina v Germany: Lothar Matthäus says Germany are better without Michael Ballack". The Telegraph. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  53. ↑ Honigstein, Raphael (31 January 2012). "Pride, pig-headedness and glee: Leverkusen's Project Ballack fails". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  54. ↑ "Ballack: "An Scheinheiligkeit nicht zu überbieten". kicker (in German). 17 June 2011. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
  55. ↑ "Löw: "Weiß, was besprochen wurde"". kicker (in German). 18 June 2011. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
  56. ↑ Ahrens, Peter (6 June 2013). "Abschiedsspiel von Michael Ballack in Leipzig". Der Spiegel (in German). ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  57. ↑ "Ballack on the ball". www.sportstaronnet.com. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  58. ↑ "Ballack cheered by Chelsea challenge". UEFA.com. 15 May 2006. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  59. 1 2 Welch, Ben (25 February 2013). "Michael Ballack: How to be the complete midfielder". fourfourtwo.com. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  60. 1 2 Wilson, Jonathan (22 April 2009). "The Question: is the box-to-box midfielder dead?". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  61. ↑ Turner, Mikhail (13 February 2012). "25 Lethal Headers in World Football". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  62. 1 2 Molinaro, John F.; Kreindler, Derek (18 November 2009). "Ballack personifies elegance on the field". CBC Sports. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  63. ↑ Tigani, Frank (12 June 2010). "Milan Should Sign Both Michael Ballack and Joe Cole". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  64. 1 2 Reedie, Euan (2008). Michael Ballack – The Biography. London, England: John Blake. pp. 41–65.
  65. 1 2 Mehrban, Muazzin (18 June 2009). "Michael Ballack, European Football's Serial Bridesmaid". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  66. ↑ "Makelele may be left to pick up the pieces in midfield revolution". The Times. 26 September 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  67. ↑ "Arturo Vidal, Toni Kroos, Michael Ballack and the players who played for Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen". bundesliga.com. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  68. ↑ Dixon, Lee (24 August 2009). "Lee Dixon's tactical view". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  69. 1 2 "Michael Ballack: a midfield marvel for Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich and Germany". bundesliga.com. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  70. ↑ Honigstein, Raphael (25 June 2008). "The Ballack Ultimatum". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  71. ↑ "Loew impressed with Ballack". Times LIVE. 18 April 2011. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  72. ↑ Die Welt (2006). "Ballack, das Plappermaul". Die Welt. Ballack deutet nämlich Jürgen Udolph, der Leipziger Professor für Namenkunde, als eine sorbische Sproßform von Balthasar. Gegen diese Lesart kommt aber entschiedener Widerstand aus dem Institut für Slawistik an der Hamburger Universität. Ballack, heißt es da, kommt vom slawischen "bala" für erzählen, sprechen – in abwertender Form also: quasseln, plappern -, und "-ak" ist ein Suffix (Nachsilbe) und bedeutet, daß einer das tut. Ein "agens", wie die Namenforscher sagen. Ballack (richtig geschrieben: Balak) wäre also auf gut deutsch: das Plappermaul. Der Ball heißt auf polnisch: pilka.
  73. ↑ Hannah Cleaver (15 April 2006). "The secret life of Germany's poster boy". Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022.
  74. ↑ Cadwalladr, Carole (4 June 2006). "Meet the real footballers' wives". The Guardian. UK. Archived from the original on 18 April 2010. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
  75. ↑ "Personal Data". Michael Ballack. 16 January 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2009.
  76. ↑ "Ex-Goldman Sachs ED and girlfriend of Michael Ballack joins a crowdfunding company". efinancialcareers. 17 May 2017.
  77. ↑ "Ballack's negotiations with Montreal Impact have stalled as club target Clarence Seedorf". Goal.com. 5 June 2012. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  78. ↑ Steinbuch, Yaron (5 August 2021). "Son of former German soccer star Michael Ballack killed in quad-bike crash". New York Post. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  79. ↑ "Ballack, Michael". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  80. ↑ "Chemnitzer FC » Appearances DFB-Pokal 1995/1996". WorldFootball.Net. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  81. ↑ "Chemnitzer FC » Appearances DFB-Pokal 1996/1997". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  82. ↑ "Ballack, Michael". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  83. ↑ "Michael Ballack" (in German). Fussballdaten.de. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  84. ↑ "Ballack, Michael". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  85. ↑ "Michael Ballack" (in German). Fussballdaten.de. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  86. ↑ "Michael Ballack" (in German). Fussballdaten.de. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  87. ↑ "Ballack, Michael". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  88. ↑ "Michael Ballack" (in German). Fussballdaten.de. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  89. ↑ "Michael Ballack" (in German). Fussballdaten.de. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  90. ↑ "Ballack, Michael". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  91. ↑ "Michael Ballack". ESPN FC. ESPN. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  92. ↑ "Michael Ballack". ESPN FC. ESPN. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  93. ↑ "Michael Ballack". ESPN FC. ESPN. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  94. ↑ "Michael Ballack". ESPN FC. ESPN. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  95. ↑ "Ballack, Michael". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  96. ↑ "Ballack, Michael". kicker.de (in German). kicker. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  97. 1 2 3 4 5 "M. Ballack". Soccerway. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  98. ↑ "Michael Ballack: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  99. ↑ Pierrend, José Luis (4 September 2014). "(West) Germany – Footballer of the Year". RSSSF. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  100. ↑ "Bundesliga Historie 2001/02" (in German). kicker.
  101. ↑ "Bundesliga Historie 2002/03" (in German). kicker.
  102. ↑ "Bundesliga Historie 2004/05" (in German). kicker.
  103. ↑ "Bundesliga Historie 2005/06" (in German). kicker.
  104. ↑ "Alle Männer des Jahres". kicker (in German). 26 December 2011. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  105. ↑ Leme de Arruda, Marcelo (20 October 2015). "FIFA XI´s Matches – Full Info". RSSSF. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  106. ↑ "Elf des Jahrhunderts". Kölnische Rundschau (in German). 21 May 2004. Archived from the original on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  107. ↑ "Juni 2008 - Ballack" (in German). Sportschau. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Michael Ballack.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.