Ballack out of Germany’s Euro 2012 squad

Germany captain Michael Ballack has been dropped by national coach Joachim Loew for next month’s Euro 2012 qualifiers.

The 33-year-old midifelder’s name was conspicuous by its absence from Loew’s squad released Friday for the games against Belgium in Brussels on September 3 and Azerbaijan in Cologne four days later.

Ballack is still working his way back to fitness after suffering an ankle injury in May which ruled him out of last month’s World Cup.

Loew said in a statement: “Michael is going the right way after his injury and everyone is satisfied with the healing process. The important thing is that he rediscovers his best form at Leverkusen.”

According to the German Football Association Loew told Ballack of his decision by telephone.

With Ballack absent defender Philipp Lahm is likely to retain the captaincy having led Germany to third at the World Cup.

Loew was in Dortmund last Sunday to see Ballack make his first appearance back in the Bundesliga after four years in the Premier League with Chelsea as his side Bayer Leverkusen beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0.

After his injury, Ballack only returned to training at the start of August and has played only a Bundesliga and Europa League match.

As expected Loew has called up 17 members of his World Cup squad.

Out of contention are the injured Arne Friedrich, Jerome Boateng, Piotr Trochowski and Dennis Aogo, but back after missing the World Cup are goalkeeper Rene Adler and defender Heiko Westermann.

Looking ahead to the two Euro 2012 qualifiers Loew said: “We want to win our first two games with the same football that we played at the World Cup.”

Germany squad

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Schalke 04), René Adler (Bayer Leverkusen), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen)

Defenders: Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich), Marcell Jansen (Hamburg), Philipp Lahm (Bayer Munich), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Sascha Riether (Wolfsburg), Heiko Westermann (Hamburg)

Midfielders: Sami Khedira (Real Madrid/ESP), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Marko Marin (Werder Bremen), Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid/ESP), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Christian Trasch (Stuttgart)

Forwards: Cacau (Stuttgart), Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich), Stefan Kiessling (Bayer Leverkusen), Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich), Thomas Müller (Bayern Munich), Lukas Podolski (Cologne)