Michael Ballack and Rudi Völler have known each other for many years and experienced many football moments together. Völler is ideally suited for the new job at the DFB, says Ballack.
Michael Ballack and Rudi Völler have a special football story in common. Almost 21 years ago, Völler was on the sidelines as team boss of the national team in South Korea in the World Cup semi-final against the hosts when Ballack saw the yellow card for a tactical foul in the greatest defensive distress and then scored the decisive goal. The midfielder was suspended in the final and Germany lost to Brazil without Ballack.
“He put himself at the service of the team and the whole country. All of Germany should take their hat off to him,” Völler said at the time. Years later he brought Ballack back to Bayer Leverkusen, after which he ended his playing career. The mutual respect has remained to this day.
Ballack on Völler: “He can revitalize the DFB there too”
“Rudi has everything he needs to fill this position in the best possible way,” said Ballack yesterday before FC Bayern’s Bundesliga game against RB Leipzig on DAZN, just a few hours after Völler was introduced as the new national team director at DFB. “He has a stable odor at the DFB,” added Ballack. “He knows the DFB, the Bundesliga as a player, as a coach. He’s called on by the national team in times that aren’t so easy.”
Völler’s commitment after the World Cup in Qatar at the end of last year shows “that he is still burning and I hope that he will fulfill this task with life,” said Ballack, who is now particularly visible to the fans as a TV expert . Völler stands for “the old school, if one may say so”. It is “values” and “basic characteristics” that have made German football successful over many years.
“He can revitalize the DFB there too, and that’s very important, that was always one of his greatest strengths,” said Ballack. Völler will officially take up his post on February 1, and national coach Hansi Flick will be selected for his first international matches in March. According to reports, the game will be played against Peru in Mainz on March 25 and against Belgium three days later in Cologne.
Source: Stern
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