Michael Ballack

Thumb

Image Source Creative Commons logo

User Rating

(1 users)
Data Complete 70%

15%

Born
1976 (48 years old)

Birth Place
Shiny National flag

Görlitz, Germany

Position
Midfielder

Status

Ethnicity
White

Team Number

Height
1.88

Outfitter

Kit

Side

Agent

Market Value
Free Transfer

Wage Year

Player Cutout

Full Body Render
No Render Icon

Player Poster
No Poster thumb

Sport

Soccer

Team
_Retired Soccer

2nd Team

League
_No League Soccer

Creative Commons Artwork
Yes

Description

Michael Ballack (German pronunciation: ; born 26 September 1976) is a retired German footballer. He is among the top goal scorers in the history of the German national team. Ballack wore the number 13 shirt for every team he has played for except for Kaiserslautern. He was selected by Pelé as one of FIFA's 125 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.

Ballack began his career as a youth at Chemnitz, his local team, and made his professional debut in 1995. On 26 March 1996, Ballack made his debut for Germany's Under-21 side. 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 FC 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 his first English honours, the FA Cup and Football League Cup, in his first season at the club. Injury ruled out much of 2007 but he returned the following season, helping 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.

Career Honours

English FA Cup 2009-2010 Chelsea	English Premier League 2009-2010 Chelsea	English FA Community Shield 2009 Chelsea	English FA Cup 2008-2009 Chelsea
English Football League Cup 2006-2007 Chelsea	English FA Cup 2006-2007 Arsenal	German Bundesliga 2005-2006 Bayern Munich	German DFB-Pokal 2005-2006 Bayern Munich
German Bundesliga 2004-2005 Bayern Munich	German DFB-Pokal 2004-2005 Bayern Munich	German DFL-Supercup 2004 Bayern Munich	German Bundesliga 2002-2003 Bayern Munich
German DFB-Pokal 2002-2003 Leverkusen	UEFA Team of the Year 2002 Leverkusen	German Bundesliga 1997-1998 Kaiserslautern