Ballack through the back door

It was in the air for some time, it's now official: Michael Ballack will no longer Nationalmannschaft of the jersey. The midfielder Bayer Leverkusen, who maintained a strained relationship with Joachim Loew, the national coach, never reach the milestone of 100 caps. One of the most famous number 13 in history has just said goodbye to the German selection. Through the back door.98. It is on this number of selections that Michael Ballack withdrew, in secret, the German selection. It is indeed the German Football Association announced Thursday that the international retirement of midfielder Bayer Leverkusen. This decision, made by mutual agreement between the coach and the player is not really surprising since Joachim Loew had already indicated that it had more of the former Chelsea player. At 34, former captain of Germany can not compete with the new generation, symbolized by the Madrid and Khedira Özil who impressed during the 2010 World Cup.
"After several telephone conversations with Michael, it is time now before the European Championship (nations in the summer of 2012), to adopt a clear position. The past months have shown that many young players appeared in full light and offer good prospects, "Joachim Löw is justified.
A season cut short by injury
Revenue last summer at Bayer Leverkusen club with which he had proved by reaching the final of the Champions League (note: in 2002, lost 2-1 against Real Madrid of Zidane), Michael Ballack hoped to raise by for the Euro 2012 after four years at Chelsea. Did not count on the physical problems that limited his season to 17 games for any goal scored. Former Bavarian therefore withdraws the international stage, eleven years after his debut against Scotland (note: April 28, 1999) with the impressive record of 98 caps and a whopping 42 goals scored for the Nationalmannschaft, that he took the final of the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2008.
Joachim Löw will eventually not delivered on its promise to offer the iconic captain a 100th cap as he implied to Bild a few months ago: "I wish it reaches the 100 selections, because Michael has long been our ambassador abroad. He did not deserve to finish his career as selection. " That's a 1-0 defeat against Argentina in February 2010. No, sir Ballack does not really deserved it ...