World Cup 2010 - Boateng apologises to Ballack
Germany's new 'public enemy number one' Kevin-Prince Boateng has apologised for dashing Germany captain Michael Ballack's World Cup hopes with a hard tackle that ruled him out of the tournament.
"I am sorry. It was not intentional. I just came in too late and made full contact. It looks pretty stupid," the German told Bild.
The apology coming three days after the foul during the FA Cup final between Portsmouth and Ballack's Chelsea did little to dampen German anger directed at Boateng.
The 33-year-old Chelsea midfielder was injured in the first half of Saturday's match against Portsmouth, limping off during his team's 1-0 win after a late tackle by Boateng.
Fans on Tuesday vented their anger on dozens of websites, calling him 'public enemy number one; and setting up chatrooms called '82 million against Boateng' or 'Anti-Boateng Group'.
Boateng, born in Berlin to a Ghanaian father and a German mother, has had an uneasy relationship with German fans ever since his days playing at Hertha Berlin.
He is also a distant relative to German football hero, Helmut Rahn, who scored Germany's winning goal in the 1954 World Cup final against Hungary.
The irony is that the 23-year-old Berlin-born midfielder who has also played for Tottenham Hotspur, will take part in the World Cup playing for Ghana while his half-brother Jerome is in the preliminary Germany squad for the June 11-July 11 tournament.
To make matter worse, Ghana are in Germany's Group D, and play each other on June 23 in Johannesburg.
Ballack, who will miss out on what would have been his third World Cup, flew to Sicily on Monday after the scan revealed a tear of one ankle ligament and a partial tear on another that will leave him out of action for eight weeks.
On Tuesday he said there was no need for bad blood.
"Of course I am very angry and disappointed but in football one should let it go," he said.
Comment 111 - 130 of 130
theodorkoerner
A question like that doesn't even deserve a response.
saschski
what " very tainted past " are you talking about ?
A lot of Germanany hating on this site. Let's all take a deep breath and think for a moment. Look back at what cultures/nationalities invented all these modern wonders you are using today, and think which cultures are beginning to climb out of the stone age, only by the grace of others.
On a side note, I love watching videos of terrorist members denouncing the evil west, with them wearing eyeglasses and cell phones, digital media, etc. Their cultures cannot manufacture their own toilet paper. Half their people still wipe their @#$% with their left hands . . .
each n every one on this planet should mark this word. Argentina is going to win the world cup
Ricky
Agreed. This has gone too far. It is incredible how people here are making stupid racist remarks in the name of Germany or Germans and they aren't even German themselves! Please ignore those idiots, because by nature Germans aren't like that. They just have to live with a very tainted past, which no one lets them forget about. I say don't forget, but move on and accept people for who they are. There is always bad mixed with good, and quite frankly I find a lot of British people to be the most hateful and racist people on this planet. What? Do I hear you asking how can you be racist towards Germans? Well you can and you are! It is disgusting, and then like I said, you've got bigots and white supremacist idiots who aren't even german (they happen to have some ancestor way back who was german), picking up on forums like this, to spread their hate in the name of a Nation that they don't even belong to! Bollo cks to you! (Not you Ricky : ))
Ballack's @#$% now anyway, has been during and since the 2006 World Cup. Too slow. Germany wont miss him much.
Very noble of ballack - he brought it on himself by slapping boateng before that, but boateng was in on him with intent, no way that he wasn't, not that kind of tackle from behind that part of the lower leg, he knew what he was doing. I cringed when I saw it, even more so in slow motion
does anyone have any ideas on how to remove the skid marks from my pants ?
Good nite evelybody , good nite eurosport .
aurelius, just take it easy, we are not the cause that your mum just have one night stand and you was born, i am proud to be a nigerian, i know my father and my mother, they are still alive. but sorry dude, you will never find your dad as even if the man your mum says is your dad may turn out to be not. well, you sound so pathetic you moron, i have never used bay words since i am in this page but , i will never ever regret using it on you, you nknow thsi word, unvershamed? this is what you are. you just so stupid that i hate you.people like you in this world have no more place to stay. get over yourself, face the real life and be a man. everything is made easily now in internet, just go to google inquire of how many germany that are living nigeria you son of a bicth r @#$%. chose one
typicam german @#$% wishing someone a heart attackt? what a good example you are. it is only @#$% like you, who is a product of one night stand that wish people evil, who knows if your dad is from afghanistan.
jules henry, this is not kindergarten. time to sleep. go and sleep
so we are the crime committers? tell me one big example of crime committed by blacks?
Prince is a poor player and should not be going to the world cup.
theodore, where do you come from?
theodore, have you ever travelled since you was born?
aurelius, did you know what is ons? one night stand. you must be a one night stand product who is angry with people that knows wheer they come from. get over it, ballack is not coming to world cup @#$%.
theodore, you are a poor deluded dude,because you dont have money to travell that is why you are jealouse of us, do you know how many germans that are living in nigeria? did you know how many british that are living in niegrian? you guys are making yourself a laughing object.
OH YAHOO WHY?U BLOCKED ME PREVENTING RACIST COMMENTS TOWARDS BOATENG.i MAY CHALLENGE YOU GUYS IN HIGH COURT.YOU SUPPORT RACIST COMMENTS AGAINST A BLACK MAN.
NEXT WEEK I WILL SERVE U THE COURT PAPERS
saschki my point was that accidents happen , as a pompey fan i feel a lot of this hysteria regarding boateng is out of place , there are people on here sprouting on about it being criminal , banning players & having inquests into it , like i said i see it as an accident, it happens , it's footy
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