Ballack misses training due to foot injury

Germany’s Michael Ballack has sat out the team’s first training session at their World Cup base in Japan due to a foot injury that has been troubling him for some time.

The midfielder was able to play in Bayer Leverkusen’s Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid earlier this month, but missed the training session in Miyazaki today.

Ballack has a bruised foot, but coach Rudi Voeller is hoping he will be fit for Germany’s opening game against Saudi Arabia on June 1st. Germany have already lost midfielders Mehmet Scholl, Joerg Heinrich and Sebastien Deisler through injury.