Loew pays tribute to 'nearly man' Ballack

    Sunday, June 29, 2008

    Michael Ballack ended on the losing side in a final again but Germany coach Joachim Loew insisted his skipper deserves a winners' medal for his efforts during Euro 2008. Ballack, 31, recovered from a calf injury to play against Spain at Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadium but it was Fernando Torres who settled the clash in Austria's capital with his strike in the 33rd minute. It adds to Ballack's tag of being a 'nearly man', after being suspended for the World Cup final in 2002 just after Bayer Lev ...

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