GERMANY skipper Michael Ballack has been ruled out of this summer’s World Cup with an ankle injury.
Scans revealed the Chelsea midfielder has sustained ligament damage as a result of Kevin-Prince Boateng’s challenge during Saturday’s FA Cup final, ruling him 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 a statement from the DFB this morning.
“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.”
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