K.P Boateng backtracks over Germany criticism, admits he's wrong

Ghana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng has been forced to eat large and copious amounts of humble pie by performing a humbling u-turn for questioning the title credentials of Germany ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

The controversial player is now backtracking on his claims that Germany are not capable for winning the World Cup title following his claims in May.

This comes just a day after his brother Jerome Boateng hit back at the Schalke star for criticising the Germany national team ahead of the World Cup which the Europeans eventually won.

The tough-talking Schalke midfielder claimed the Germans lacked ‘characters and leaders’ to clinch the global title in the South American country.

But after Joachim Low’s men defied critics to win their fourth World Cup title, the suspended Ghana star has backtracked on his claims insisting he did not attack anyone but only contributed to a debate.

“I did not attack anyone. If someone feels attacked, I can not help it. The Germans responded perfectly – not on me personally but on the debate. There was in this some respect,” Boateng told a press conference.

“I must apologize for my opinion on the German team. Germany has responded perfectly and has become world champions. Germany has also shown me.

“They are all grown men, and we are respectful of each other. Equally respectfully was my opinion.”

The flamboyant ex-Tottenham Hotspur and AC Milan star Kevin criticised the Germans before the World Cup saying Joachim Low’s squad lacks “characters and leaders” when the going gets tough.

Many tipped Germany to top the group, but Kevin said Germany lack the characters to make the difference.

“You need characters when you go into a tournament with so much pressure. I don’t see anyone in the Germany team who could handle this and might be able to carry the team along,” Kevin said before the World Cup.

“Whenever things matter, they don’t make it,” he added.

The Germans defied Kevin and went on to win the World Cup in emphatic fashion by brushing hosts Brazil aside before defeating Argentina 1-0 in the final.

Boateng was kicked out of Ghana’s World Cup camp following an altercation with head trainer Kwesi Appiah while his younger brother Jerome went ahead to win the title.

Black Stars coach Kwesi Appiah has revealed the 27-year-old is no longer part of his future plans.

But the former AC Milan star has revealed he could return to the side ahead of the 2015 African Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Kevin opted to play for Ghana, the country of his father, in 2009 and was up against his half-brother and Germany right-back Jérôme Boateng at the World Cup in the match which ended 2-2.

German-born Boateng, the brother of Germany international Jerome, opted to play for Ghana only months before the 2010 World Cup in South Africabut featured in every game and helped the Black Stars to the quarter-finals where they were controversially eliminated by Uruguay.

After a three-year hiatus, Kevin returned to the Ghana team ahead of the2014 World Cup but his campaign ended in disgrace as he was kicked out from the Black Stars squad for disciplinary problems.

Boateng ultimately decided to switch allegiances when he was excluded from the Germany under-21 squad in the summer of 2009 on disciplinary grounds.

His exclusion game only days before the team, which included Mesut Ozil,Manuel Neuer, Sami Khedira and Mats Hummels, travelled to Sweden to win the European Championships.