Ruled out German captain Michael Ballack

Ballack received the injury that has prevented him from playing in the 2010 World Cup, a tournament which could well have been the 32 year old’s last chance to represent his country in a major competition, after a perceived foul by Kevin-Prince Boateng. Boateng plays for Ghana, who will be a group stage opponent of Germany’s in South Africa, though his half brother Jerome Boateng is a Germany international player.

Boateng has made a heartfelt apology, saying that it was not intentional and he was “just too late”, hitting Ballack straight on. He also says he apologised twice to Michael Ballack on the pitch during the game, which Ballack’s team Chelsea ended up winning 1-0, meaning Chelsea had won the double of the English Premier League and the domestic cup.

Ballack’s agent Michael Becker believes that the foul was, despite Boateng’s claims, premeditated, and is considering legal action. “The football field is not outside the law,” Becker says, “even if Boateng believes that.”

Becker insists that anybody watching the game can see the foul was premeditated, though there are plenty of other people, including former Chelsea player Graeme LeSaux, who commented on Sky Sports News, who do not agree.

Ballack himself is bitterly disappointed to be missing the tournament, and will apparently need to make decisions around whether he will go on to play in the Euro 2012 qualifiers and competition, given that he will be 34 by the time that tournament takes place.

Joachim Low, the Germany manager, has not called up any new players for his preliminary squad in light of Ballack’s injury, saying he is waiting to see if any injuries are sustained to his other players in Bayern Munich’s Champions League final appearance against Inter Milan on Saturday.