How Kevin-Prince Boateng ended Michael Ballack’s career

In 2010, the Ghanaian International was regarded as public enemy number one by the Germans after the injury of Captain Michael Ballack.

Kevin-Prince Boateng has rough edges and is not suspected of bending like a club.

While half-brother Jerome Boateng has developed into a diplomat with boring statements and little attack surface over the years, Bad Guy "Prince" always swam against the tide. The fact that his image in Germany has suffered sustained damage is mainly due to a foul. Ultimately, Boateng‘s action sealed Michael Ballack's end in the national team.

May 2010. The English Cup final between outsider FC Portsmouth and favorite FC Chelsea. A good half hour has been played. Like fighting cocks, Boateng and Ballack attacked each other a few times, verbal and physical provocations on both sides. Then the kick. Boateng does not hit the ball, he jumps Ballack onto the ankle with full force. Result: inner ligament tear and partial tear of the syndesmotic ligament.

Kevin-Prince Boateng accounts in his book

After the game, Boateng will say it was not intentional. Just a one-on-one battle that occurs several times in every game. Nobody will believe him. Boateng apologizes, but never shows remorse. Neither immediately after the game nor years later. Instead, he kicks in again. With words.

In his book "Ich, Prince Boateng" with the subtitle "Mein Leben. My game. My billing. ”The professional devotes himself to what is probably his most famous action. And boasts a little for it. After all, German internationals had contacted him and thanked him for his rude attack. Boateng writes about how bad Ballack's reputation was in the national team at that time. "No one was happy that he was injured, least of all me, but many even found the better option without Ballack."

Germany plays a good World Cup without Ballack

There was something state-bearing about the injury. In a few weeks, Ballack should lead the German national team during the World Cup in South Africa, now the then world-class player missed his last big tournament. Even more. Because the DFB team enthused with the then aspiring Özil, Khedira and Müller against England (4: 1) or Argentina (4: 0) and returned as third in the World Cup, Ballack's absence was negligible. His career in the national team was over.

Boateng, on the other hand, contested the World Cup and only failed with Ghana in the quarterfinals after penalties against Uruguay.

His foul persisted. In the days that followed, he was no longer a perpetrator but a victim. In his biography, he reports hostility, and even death threats are said to have reached him. “I received several letters saying that I wanted to lynch me. A limit was crossed. "

There has never been a debate between Boateng and Ballack. In an interview, the malefactor once said: “There is nothing to be clarified. Ballack is not important to me, I am not important to him."