So it's not just an English curse then? Germany captain Michael Ballack is out of the World Cup following an ankle injury sustained in Saturday's FA Cup Final victory over Portsmouth.
For any number of World Cup Finals in the past, there's always been a key England player or two injured in the run-up to the tournament - Beckham, Owen, Rooney, Robson... So while it brings me no joy (OK - maybe a little!) to see the Germany captain out of the competition, it certainly makes a change for another country to be getting the headlines on injuries.
The fact that Ballack was injured by a player born in Germany, who played for the German under 21 team, but who has now chosen to represent Ghana the country of his father's birth, will add to the German conspiracy theorists. Why? Because Ghana and Germany are in the same group and will face each other in what could be a decisive third game on June 23. Had Rooney been injured by a Slovenian or an Algerian, I'm sure English fans would be saying the same!
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