Germany captain Michael Ballack has been ruled out of the World Cup finals with an ankle injury, the German Football Federation have confirmed. The 33-year-old Chelsea midfielder underwent an MRI in Munich this morning to assess the damage suffered in Saturday’s FA Cup final, and the scan showed ligament damage to his right ankle.
Ballack was injured following a heavy challenge from Portsmouth’s Kevin Prince Boateng in the Blues’ 1-0 win at Wembley and is expected to be out of action for eight weeks.
“National team captain Michael Ballack is out of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. This is the result of an MRI on Monday morning in Munich,” read this morning’s statement.
“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.”