Soccer Player
Michael Ballack
1976 - today
EN.WIKIPEDIA PAGE VIEWS (PV)
Michael Ballack
His biography is available in 76 different languages on Wikipedia. Michael Ballack is the 301st most popular soccer player (down from 193rd in 2024), the 1,157th most popular biography from Germany (down from 949th in 2019) and the 21st most popular German Soccer Player.
Michael Ballack is a retired German footballer who played as a midfielder. He is the only German player to have won the FIFA World Cup as captain, leading his country to victory in the 2002 tournament. He was also awarded the Silver Ball at the 2002 World Cup.
Michael Ballack is trending today!
Why Michael Ballack is Trending:
Michael Ballack is trending after being named among the "25 biggest losers in history" in a viral AOL article published on February 5, sparking heated debates across social media. The piece contrasts history's greatest winners with epic failures, spotlighting the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich midfielder—once a commanding captain who led Germany to the 2002 World Cup final—for his string of near-misses, including Champions League heartbreaks and that infamous 2010 leg injury during a casual kickabout. Fans are rallying in droves, arguing his trophies, like the 2012 Champions League with Chelsea, cement his legacy as a winner, while critics revel in the roast, flooding timelines with memes of Ballack's signature scowl. This unexpected historical dunk has reignited nostalgia for the German legend's prime, pulling in soccer enthusiasts debating if bad luck or bold risks defined his storied career.
References:
- https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/bayern-munich-news-fc-bayern-050000352.html
- https://www.aol.com/lifestyle/25-people-share-biggest-losers-040057400.html
- https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/fantastic-impression-on-me-rosenior-names-one-of-chelseas-most-consistent-performers/ar-AA1VKC81?ocid=BingNewsVerp
- https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/soccer/opinion-why-liam-roseniors-new-chelsea-system-could-spell-bad-news-for-attacking-duo/ar-AA1VISew?ocid=BingNewsVerp
- https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/soccer/rosenior-confirms-delayed-double-chelsea-fitness-decision-for-wolves-trip-despite-previous-statement/ar-AA1VKD3c?ocid=BingNewsVerp
Memorability Metrics
Page views of Michael Ballack by language
Among Soccer Players
Among soccer players, Michael Ballack ranks 301 out of 21,273. Before him are Raimundo Orsi, Angelo Schiavio, Gianpiero Combi, Tatsuya Shiji, Park Ji-sung, and Fernando Hierro. After him are Hisao Kami, Jair da Costa, Masao Takada, František Plánička, Careca, and Akira Nozawa.
Most Popular Soccer Players in Wikipedia
Go to all Rankings
Raimundo Orsi
1901 - 1986
HPI: 67.37
Rank: 298
Angelo Schiavio
1905 - 1990
HPI: 67.36
Rank: 299
Gianpiero Combi
1902 - 1956
HPI: 67.34
Rank: 300
Tatsuya Shiji
1938 - Present
HPI: 67.33
Rank: 301
Park Ji-sung
1981 - Present
HPI: 67.32
Rank: 302
Fernando Hierro
1968 - Present
HPI: 67.29
Rank: 303
Michael Ballack
1976 - Present
HPI: 67.27
Rank: 304
Hisao Kami
1941 - Present
HPI: 67.26
Rank: 305
Jair da Costa
1940 - 2025
HPI: 67.21
Rank: 306
Masao Takada
HPI: 67.21
Rank: 307
František Plánička
1904 - 1996
HPI: 67.18
Rank: 308
Careca
1960 - Present
HPI: 67.18
Rank: 309
Akira Nozawa
1914 - 2000
HPI: 67.17
Rank: 310
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1976, Michael Ballack ranks 14. Before him are Simone Inzaghi, Chester Bennington, Cillian Murphy, Judit Polgár, Clarence Seedorf, and Ramzan Kadyrov. After him are Guti, Patrick Vieira, Mark Webber, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ryan Reynolds, and Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Others Born in 1976
Go to all Rankings
Simone Inzaghi
SOCCER PLAYER
1976 - Present
HPI: 69.86
Rank: 8
Chester Bennington
SINGER
1976 - 2017
HPI: 69.84
Rank: 9
Cillian Murphy
ACTOR
1976 - Present
HPI: 69.06
Rank: 10
Judit Polgár
CHESS PLAYER
1976 - Present
HPI: 68.22
Rank: 11
Clarence Seedorf
SOCCER PLAYER
1976 - Present
HPI: 67.53
Rank: 12
Ramzan Kadyrov
POLITICIAN
1976 - Present
HPI: 67.31
Rank: 13
Michael Ballack
SOCCER PLAYER
1976 - Present
HPI: 67.27
Rank: 14
Guti
SOCCER PLAYER
1976 - Present
HPI: 66.71
Rank: 15
Patrick Vieira
SOCCER PLAYER
1976 - Present
HPI: 66.70
Rank: 16
Mark Webber
RACING DRIVER
1976 - Present
HPI: 66.65
Rank: 17
Benedict Cumberbatch
ACTOR
1976 - Present
HPI: 66.25
Rank: 18
Ryan Reynolds
ACTOR
1976 - Present
HPI: 66.19
Rank: 19
Ruud van Nistelrooy
SOCCER PLAYER
1976 - Present
HPI: 66.15
Rank: 20
In Germany
Among people born in Germany, Michael Ballack ranks 1,157 out of NaN. Before him are Ernst Albrecht (1930), Sibylle of Cleves (1512), Emil Jellinek (1853), Adam Elsheimer (1578), Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp (1759), and Princess Regina of Saxe-Meiningen (1925). After him are Princess Elisabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen (1713), Gottlob Berger (1896), Frederick III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp (1597), Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse (1868), Christoph Scheiner (1575), and Philip William, Elector Palatine (1615).
Others born in Germany
Go to all Rankings
Ernst Albrecht
POLITICIAN
1930 - 2014
HPI: 67.31
Rank: 1,151
Sibylle of Cleves
POLITICIAN
1512 - 1554
HPI: 67.29
Rank: 1,152
Emil Jellinek
POLITICIAN
1853 - 1918
HPI: 67.29
Rank: 1,153
Adam Elsheimer
PAINTER
1578 - 1610
HPI: 67.28
Rank: 1,154
Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp
NOBLEMAN
1759 - 1818
HPI: 67.27
Rank: 1,155
Princess Regina of Saxe-Meiningen
POLITICIAN
1925 - 2010
HPI: 67.27
Rank: 1,156
Michael Ballack
SOCCER PLAYER
1976 - Present
HPI: 67.27
Rank: 1,157
Princess Elisabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen
POLITICIAN
1713 - 1761
HPI: 67.26
Rank: 1,158
Gottlob Berger
POLITICIAN
1896 - 1975
HPI: 67.26
Rank: 1,159
Frederick III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp
NOBLEMAN
1597 - 1659
HPI: 67.25
Rank: 1,160
Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse
WRITER
1868 - 1937
HPI: 67.24
Rank: 1,161
Christoph Scheiner
PHYSICIST
1575 - 1650
HPI: 67.24
Rank: 1,162
Philip William, Elector Palatine
POLITICIAN
1615 - 1690
HPI: 67.22
Rank: 1,163
Among Soccer Players In Germany
Among soccer players born in Germany, Michael Ballack ranks 21. Before him are Wolfgang Overath (1943), Bert Trautmann (1923), Felix Magath (1953), Harald Schumacher (1954), Niko Kovač (1971), and Karl-Heinz Schnellinger (1939). After him are Manuel Neuer (1986), Günter Netzer (1944), Mesut Özil (1988), Thomas Müller (1989), Sepp Herberger (1897), and Helmut Haller (1939).
Wolfgang Overath
1943 - Present
HPI: 68.19
Rank: 15
Bert Trautmann
1923 - 2013
HPI: 67.88
Rank: 16
Felix Magath
1953 - Present
HPI: 67.58
Rank: 17
Harald Schumacher
1954 - Present
HPI: 67.50
Rank: 18
Niko Kovač
1971 - Present
HPI: 67.47
Rank: 19
Karl-Heinz Schnellinger
1939 - 2024
HPI: 67.43
Rank: 20
Michael Ballack
1976 - Present
HPI: 67.27
Rank: 21
Manuel Neuer
1986 - Present
HPI: 67.08
Rank: 22
Günter Netzer
1944 - Present
HPI: 66.58
Rank: 23
Mesut Özil
1988 - Present
HPI: 66.54
Rank: 24
Thomas Müller
1989 - Present
HPI: 66.54
Rank: 25
Sepp Herberger
1897 - 1977
HPI: 66.32
Rank: 26
Helmut Haller
1939 - 2012
HPI: 66.18
Rank: 27
