World Cup 2006 News
Ballack not in side for World Cup opener: report
Jun 9, 2006, 14:33 GMT
Munich - Germany captain Michael Ballack will not start Friday's World Cup opening match against Costa Rica, a newspaper reported shortly before kickoff.
The midfielder, who has been labouring under a calf injury, has been told by coach Juergen Klinsmann he will not be in the starting line-up, the Bild daily said.
Klinsmann was to announce the team only just before the 6 p.m.(1600 GMT) kick-off. Under the rules of football's world governing body, teams will be announced 90 minutes before the start of the game.
There has been confusion over Ballack's fitness after the player told Bild late Thursday he wanted to play.
World Cup organizing committee president Franz Beckenbauer, who led West Germany to two World Cup titles as a player and a coach, advised Klinsmann against picking Ballack. The risk of a more serious injury was too great, he told German television.
© 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
blog comments powered by DisqusLatest Headlines in World Cup 2006
- 1. Zidane case: FIFA to decide behind closed doors
- 2. Rooney reiterates he didn't deliberately stamp on Carvalho
- 3. Materazzi appears before FIFA over Zidane incident
- 4. Materazzi admits insulting Zidane, FIFA opens probe (Roundup)
- 5. FIFA opens disciplinary proceedings against Marco Materazzi
Older Talkback
