Well known as a versatile and well-conditioned player, German captain Michael Ballack is one of the best headers of the ball in the world of football. He was born on September 26 1976, in the same week as Ronaldo, Francesco Totti and Andriy Shevchenko.

Although he began his career when he was 19, for Michael Ballack soccer has been a passion since early childhood. At the age of 12, he entered one of East Germany's sports schools. His impressive performances in the role of central midfield got him his first professional contract with Chemnitzer FC. Ballack soon proved himself as a world-class player who was competent to play with either foot. These attributes earned him the German player of the year award in 2002, 2003 and 2005.