Michael Ballack | 2000-2004

[PES Stats Database]

Club: FC Bayer Leverkusen (2000/2002) | FC Bayern Munich (2002/2004)



Growth type: Early/Lasting

INFO:

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Michael Ballack (born 26 September 1976) is a German professional footballer, who is currently playing for Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen. He is among the top goal scorers in the history of his international team. Ballack has worn the number 13 shirt for every team he has played for except for Kaiserslautern. He was selected by Pelé as one of FIFA's 100 Greatest Living Players, and as the UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year in 2002. He has won the German Footballer of the Year award three times – in 2002, 2003 and 2005.

Ballack began his career as a youth at Chemnitz, his local team, and made his professional debut in 1995. Although the team were relegated in his first season, his performances in the Regionalliga the following season led to a transfer to Kaiserslautern in 1997. He won the Bundesliga in his first season at the club; his first major honour. He became a first team regular in 1998–99 season and also earned his first senior national cap for Germany. He moved to Bayer Leverkusen for €4.1 million in 1999. The 2002 season saw him win a slew of runners-up medals: Bayer Leverkusen finished second in the Bundesliga, German Cup, UEFA Champions League and Germany lost to Brazil in the 2002 World Cup Final.

A €12.9 million move to Bayern Munich led to further honours: the team won the Bundesliga and German Cup double in 2003, 2005 and 2006. Ballack had become a prolific goalscorer from midfield, scoring 58 goals for Bayern Munich between 2002 and 2006. He joined Premier League club Chelsea in mid-2006 and won his first English honours, the FA Cup and League Cup, in his first season at the club. Injury ruled out much of 2007 but he returned the following season, helping Chelsea reach their first ever Champions League Final.

Internationally, Ballack has played in the European Championships in 2000, 2004 and 2008, and the FIFA World Cup in 2002 and 2006. Jürgen Klinsmann appointed him captain of the national team in 2004. Ballack scored consecutive game-winning goals in the quarter-final and semi-final to help his country to the 2002 World Cup Final, and led his team to the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup and the Euro 2008 Final.

VIDEOS:

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ADDITIONAL LINKS:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Ballack

http://www.michael-ballack.com/?101A1A2A100

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/12641/michael-ballack?cc=5739

http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=177667/index.html

[jurgens]

I'm aware were not talking about that era. But I havn't seen much from his bayern years, but have for his first season at chelsea. And considering he was still in his prime, the comment is relevant.

[Albo7]

It's relevant if we're talking about the 2005, with Bayern, but back in 2001-2002 he was much faster, he covered a lot of ground for both Germany and Bayern due to his speed, I can't find exact videos where he shows his speed, coz as you know most of youtube vids are about Dribbling skills and shotting and crap like that, he was quite clumsy even in Leverkusen days with his dribbling and the ability to lose markers/defenders by speed tbh but he was quite fast at clossing down opposition and in speed battles without ball with opposition players. Just have a look at one or two matches of Germany at the 2002 WC. Maybe we can compensate this with a lowering his Acc a bit, or DS more likely, though.

[Fantasista]

You're just reading my minds with slight acc decrease

[Albo7]

Do we all agree on TS 82, Acc 76 and DS 79?

[jurgens]

Should the era not be changed then? I doubht he kept his 82 TS up to the age of 30+ based of what he showed when he was that age at chelsea.

[Albo7]

2000-2004, so the set can be usable also for the Euro 2004, so that his age span shall be 24-28.

[BigStu]

Were talking about bayern ballack jurgens

[Albo7]

updated

[Kruger13]

Nice! Just another small thing, please somebody change that picture of him, he looks like a pig!

[Albo7]

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Do you prefer this one?

just joking

changed

[Kruger13]

But I have to acept... Nice joke!

[Fantasista]

What was the previous ds value? And why he still have sm as one of his position? He always played in centre. He should have am*, cm.

[Albo7]

It was 80. And I certainly agree with CM add removing SM, I must clicked the wrong box on the conventer, although I think I remember him playing some matches on the side, I'm honestly not too sure right now though...

[Kruger13]

Yes, sometimes in his Levekusen days he played as SMF and also if i am not wrong like a kind of SS (sometimes in WC2002 also) , but his main position were AMF and CMF.

[Fantasista]

So give him AM*, CM and SM as optional if it's so important to you, but even if he did play on side a couple times it doesn't mean it should be one of his registered positions. I strongly believe he played on side only because of injuries of their smfs or specific tactics for some match. And no, he didn't play as ss. He was always very supportive to forwards and coming to box quite often, using his height and skills in air to win headers. Maybe higher aggression? 84 seems low to me. I'd go with something like 87.

[Kruger13]

Yes i know he wasn't a SS, that's why i put "like a kind of SS" because of things you mentioned like his collaborative and support to attack job, so the value you suggested for AGG doesn't look crazy, specially if we take in count that during this Era was when he scored most of his goals, based on his capacity to go forward and a good positional game (intelligence like a pure striker)

[Fantasista]

(...) so the value you suggested for AGG doesn't look crazy(..)

I know

during this Era was when he scored most of his goals, based on his capacity to go forward and a good positional game (intelligence like a pure striker)

That's what we have becuse of high atk and shooting value+positioning(along with his header&jump, he scored tons of goals by headers). Only higher aggression is needed.

[Kruger13]

-I just notice this, isn't his WFF and WFA wrong? I mean, i was checking all stuff about him and it really impress me the amount of times he used his weak foot, and in a high percentage it was accurate most of times. He has 7 and 7, isn't a low number i know, but there tons of players with higher rate (i all sections), and no ones as Michael. Btw, i follow him every match and today's Ballack deserves the double 7, he continues using both feet and in great form.

-Isn't his passes a bit low too? In terms of a accuracy, SPA can go up easily 2 points, and about speed, for example Konami used to rate him at 97, its a little too high but a 95 isn't so crazy for me. About, LPA and LPS wasn't his main strengths but 1 point for accuracy and 2 for speed. Remember that he was a physical player, always used speed (shooting, passes) as main attribute, and it was a huge difference between him and the rest, for that this was noticeable.

P.S: i know my profile picture doesn't help me to much... or maybe it does?

[REAL_MADRID]

What about a set for his Chelsea's days? He was very important for the team at that time.

[Fantasista]

What about a set for his Chelsea's days? He was very important for the team at that time.

I have something in mind ... watched a couple vids to recall exactly how he played back then but still it would be rather a base set for further discussion than a really unique, flawless set for his chelsea days. Anyways dunno where to post it since NEW CLASSIC PLAYERS THREAD is locked . Would you mods mind if I post it right here?

BTW here's a video of one of his best performance in Chelsea. Sorry for the shitty music

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