Leader Ballack compares himself to Zizou

German star Michael Ballack has compared his role with Die Mannschaft with that of former French maestro Zinedine Zidane, saying he sees himself as a leader on the field regardless of his official status as skipper.

“Even if I am someone who never asked to take the skipper's armband that does not mean that it is a role I did not want to assume,” Ballack said in an interview published Thursday by Tagesspiegel newspaper.

“I carry out this role in a calm manner – Zinedine Zidane did the same thing. He was the leader of his team simply by dint of his class and his manner of playing,” said Chelsea star Ballack, who has been captain since 2004.

Ballack, 31, hinted he would also like to coach the Germans one day.

“It's a post linked in with one's capacity to lead and to take decisions.

“However, this post has rarely gone to the person who has put forward his candidature well in advance,” he added, citing the examples of former skippers Rudi Voeller and Juergen Klinsmann, who took the helm of the national side “without ever having thought of taking on the job.”