There was this game at 2002 WC (Italy v Mexico). The last few minutes of the game (the scoreline was 1-1) the Mexicans just passed the ball among themselves and the Italians stood still.
People don’t know how good he was.Bayern 2002-2006 was literally a one man show of him (03-05 alongside Makaay)Best 🇩🇪 outfield player 2000-2010.Played 4 international tournaments (4x All Star Team)Best 🇩🇪 MF after Matthäus and Kroos.Better than Lampard/GerrardComplete MF✅ https://t.co/9PAONXu6mp— $hemsi 🇩🇪🇦🇱 (@shemsifcb) July 21, 2021 21 yrs old Lukas Podolski 🇩🇪 would be worth 100M in today’s market.Top5 U21 player back then.What a tournament he had in 2006.Best young player award in front of Ronaldo, Messi, Rooney..Sadly he didn’t show his full potential at Bayern in his 3 yrs. pic.twitter.com/VPqoQViPGi— $hemsi 🇩🇪🇦🇱 (@shemsifcb) July 21, 2021
The midfield general himself Michael Ballack. Undoubtedly the best midfielder in the world 2001-2004. https://t.co/fK7TudDWR9 pic.twitter.com/GhobRZVz32— Birdie (@birdiefootball) June 6, 2021
Imagine Ballack being borned 5-6 years later than it should be. He could be at the same generation with Lahm, Schweini, Poldi, Klose. Right player at wrong generation.
Thinking about Ballack not winning any international trophies, I realized that the longest time period in which no German footballer won international trophies was twelve years, from 1954 when West Germany won their first World Cup to 1966 when Borussia Dortmund became the first German club to win an international tournament (the Cup Winners' Cup). Three years later Karl-Heinz Schnellinger became the first German footballer to win the European Cup with AC Milan. The second longest period in which no German footballer won any international trophies was eight years, from 2005 when Dietmar Hamman won the CL with Liverpool, to 2013 when Bayern won the CL.
2001-2004 generation was actually not that bad, they just older. If they were few years younger they probably on par with Jogi's 2018-2021 team. Ballack, Kahn, Schnix, Ziege, Bode,Bierhoff, Woerns, Linke, Neuville. Also with an injury free Nowotny, Deisler,Scholl and Jeremies.
Good to see my friend @OliverKahn today at our friendly vs Bayern. All the best with your new challenge as CEO of this great club! pic.twitter.com/6IUQjdRCOj— Edwin van der Sar (@vdsar1970) July 24, 2021
Plus Torsten Frings, the midfield in that era was actually very good. Nice variety of strikers too, Klose, Jancker, Neuville, Asamoah etc. Even had a prolific goal scoring gk on the bench lol. Lots of players that I really liked at the time, I would say that 4-5 of the 02 squad would get in the current starting team.
At least Kahn (though bench), Deisler, Frings, Ballack, Klose, maybe Schnix. I really liked the 02 team. It's been my favourite WC so far.
fact is recent times only time where Germany lacked CFs..... early 00s, Klose, Jancker, Neuville, Asamoah, Bierhoff, Brdaric, Bobic, Rink, Kirsten During 04-10 Klose, Podolski, Neuville, Asamoah, Gomez, Kuranyi, Hanke, Cacau, Kiessling, Helmes 10-present Klose (done in 2014), Podolski (done in 2016 but before that), Gomez (done in 2018 but 16 was his last real tourney), Werner, Kruse (his NT career ended ages ago, 100% off field stuff), Waldschmidt (decent at best but not what NT needs) Uth, Petersen=1-2 cap wonders just think 3/6 of 2010-present are letfovers from 00s era....... reason for this is due to 89-97 CFs being mostly bad years for CFs......
forgot for 2010-present also Stindl and Volland. Volland never worked out with Low although excels at club. Low even played him wingback at Euro, LMAO. And Stindl was excellent for dfb and fit exactly NT but Low seemed indifferent about him and had him on a very very short leech and didn't want to recall him.......he won us a CC...... Low spend more time blacklisting CFs than any other positions,LMAO. now Petersen, Kruse, Stindl all fast approaching that old age for CFs, closer to end of road. Volland and Uth both also closing on 30s.
sad, from his 3 sons, Emilio looked like mini-Ballack and only 18....RIP. Heartbreaking news, Emilio Ballack, the teenage son of former Germany and Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack, has died after being crushed by a quad-bike near the family's holiday home in Portugal, according to reports. Will pray for him & his family. pic.twitter.com/yBeSKG9Ydb— Frank Khalid OBE (@FrankKhalidUK) August 5, 2021
all his former clubs, 😢 Geschockt & mit großer Trauer hat der #ChemnitzerFC vom Unfalltod von Emilio #Ballack erfahren.Der #CFC drückt der Familie sein tiefempfundenes Mitgefühl aus & wünscht allen Angehörigen viel Kraft in dieser schweren Zeit.In tiefer Anteilnahmeder gesamte Chemnitzer FC. pic.twitter.com/slLFi2mHjG— Chemnitzer FC (@ChemnitzerFC) August 5, 2021 Es gibt Momente, da fehlen einem die Worte. Wir trauern gemeinsam mit Michael Ballack, Simone Mecky-Ballack, der Familie & Freunden um Emilio, der viel zu früh aus dem Leben gerissen wurde. In diesen dunklen Stunden senden wir Euch viel Kraft 🙏 Wir sind in Gedanken bei Euch!— 1. FC Kaiserslautern (@Rote_Teufel) August 5, 2021 #Bayer04 trauert um Emilio Ballack. Rudi #Völler: „Die Nachricht hat mich geschockt und ich bin zutiefst betroffen. Wir trauern um den Jungen und fühlen mit Michael und Simone. Wir alle hier bei Bayer 04 wünschen der ganzen Familie Ballack unglaublich viel Kraft.“ pic.twitter.com/XNSnjbkh1b— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04fussball) August 5, 2021 Emilio Ballack, the 18-year-old son of Michael Ballack, has been killed in an accident. FC Bayern is united in grief with its long-serving player and his family.— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) August 5, 2021 Herbert Hainer, FC Bayern president: “This news is a huge shock for the whole FC Bayern family and for me personally. I’ve known and admired Michael for over 20 years, I am incredibly sorry for him and his family. I now wish them all the strength in the world.” Oliver Kahn, FC Bayern CEO: “The news about Emilio’s death shook me deeply. There are no words at a time like this. FC Bayern’s thoughts are with our former teammate Michael Ballack and all his family.” Hasan Salihamidžić, FC Bayern board member for sport: “I’m shocked by Emilio’s death. Michael was my teammate and my friend for many years. Our thoughts are with him and his whole family, and will remain so during this difficult time.” Everybody associated with Chelsea Football Club is shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Emilio Ballack at the terribly young age of 18. All our thoughts are with his father Michael and his family at this sad time. 💙— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 5, 2021
Everyone at the DFB and the national team is deeply shocked and saddened to hear of Emilio Ballack's passing. Our thoughts are with our former captain Michael Ballack, and his family.— germanfootball_dfb (@DFB_Team_EN) August 5, 2021
Happy 41st birthday to 2014 World Cup winner, Roman Weidenfeller! 🏆🇩🇪#DieMannschaft pic.twitter.com/WUFWEdnjNR— germanfootball_dfb (@DFB_Team_EN) August 6, 2021
not a Pep fan but its nice of him. Ahead of the Community Shield against Leicester, Guardiola paid tribute to Emilio and wants to win the game in his honour. “I’m going to play the Community Shield tomorrow to think about Michael Ballack’s son, Emilio Ballack,” he told a press conference. “He was a friend of my family that we met when I was in Munich. “He was an exceptional 18-year-old boy, well educated. “Unfortunately he had a terrible accident in Portugal. “On behalf of myself to Michael, his father and the kids, I want to play the final as best as possible and to dedicate it to him. “This victory, this is for you Michael and your family. I’m so sorry.”