Ballack or Gerrard??

[EdMar_Davis]

Who's had the better career? Ballack is the ultimate unlucky superstar, he's come up second in pretty much every major competition. He's had very good success with the National team and has had a great career at the club level. Just coming up short twice in the CL finals(good job Terry). Although he didn't play in the WC final in 02, he was a huge part of their run and could have made a huge difference if he had played.

Gerrard, hasn't had any success with the national team, but has been amazing with LFC. I really haven't seen much of him, as I'm not a big fan of the EPL.

so what do you guys think?

[Slava]

Ballack won the league in two different countries, his German league title came when the Bundesliga was on par with other top leagues. He was also instrumental in leading Germany to the finals in 2002.

Gerrard on the other hand never won the league, though to no fault of his own but he was inspirational in winning the champions league in Istanbul. Can't really pick one player out but I think Gerrard was more talented.

[diogo_pt]

Clearly Steven Gerrard

[cgf]

Ballack's had more success even though he's never won a cup with his nation or the CL. His League titles, alongside his work for the german national team are fantastic accomplishments. One CL win doesn't replace Gerrard's lack of success in those areas. Then again I'm ready to admit that I place more value on a players performance with their national side than their club side.

[Don Draper]

Gerrard and he was played out of position (country and club) much more than Ballack.

[EdMar_Davis]

Clearly Steven Gerrard

Care to explain?

I might be a lil biased towards Ballack, but I don't see how one is clearly better then the other. I agree with cgf, Ballack's play on the International stage, puts him ahead. With a lil bit more luck, he could have won the WC, the CL and the Euro Cup, not to mention the league titles he's won. I can't think of too many players, that were in the position.

[Slava]

German players as a lot do very well in international tournaments and English players historically suck in big national tournaments. A lot of that is due to mismanagement and 100 different reasons that the English FA has yet to find a resolution for.

Also Ballack and Gerrard's prime years do not exactly coincide with each other to make a direct comparison in terms of individual awards. For example Gerrard won the PFA player of the year in 2006 when Ballack was clearly a step down from his best years.

[5DOM]

I am with Slava here. Ballack played an all-around game while providing leadership and composure to his teams, but I do think that Gerrard was more talented. As for their careers, I'd probably say Ballack based on achievements and accolades. Both were brilliant players though.

Btw it's a shame that Ballack couldn't reach the 100 mark for the NT. Only one or two left too.

[cgf]

German players as a lot do very well in international tournaments and English players historically suck in big national tournaments. A lot of that is due to mismanagement and 100 different reasons that the English FA has yet to find a resolution for.

Also Ballack and Gerrard's prime years do not exactly coincide with each other to make a direct comparison in terms of individual awards. For example Gerrard won the PFA player of the year in 2006 when Ballack was clearly a step down from his best years.

While you have a point about mismanagement, Ballack and Kahn carried us to the 2002 Final, without either one we'd have had a tough time of making it past the first knockout stage. His level of play at that tourney was unbelievable despite unspectacular management from Voeller, a fact that became painfully clear at the 2004 EC where Ballack didn't have god mode on and Kahn had been replaced by Lehmann, I think.

I am with Slava here. Ballack played an all-around game while providing leadership and composure to his teams, but I do think that Gerrard was more talented. As for their careers, I'd probably say Ballack based on achievements and accolades. Both were brilliant players though.

Btw it's a shame that Ballack couldn't reach the 100 mark for the NT. Only one or two left too.

I dunno, at his prime Ballack was really a fantastic player, his passing was excellent, his shot was elite, he was a terror in the air, his crosses where lethal, he was a smart defender and he could get to the right spot on the field like few others. Pity that prime didn't coincide with this new generation of germans that could've actually given him the support to get a Cup. Gerrard was also a phenomenal talent but peak to peak I'd say the two were so damn even, Ballack had a smidge better goalscoring nack while Gerrard did more putting the ball into dangerous positions off of the wing. Really even talents in my eyes where Ballack just found himself in position to achieve more which IMO makes his career more prolific and impressive.

[Foye]

I'll go with Gerrard even as a German. It's very close, though.

Prime Gerrard was a beast.

[treiz]

I think Gerrard has the better prime, but Ballack will have the better career (considering that Gerrard is still playing). Just more accomplishments and success overall domestically and nationally.

[diogo_pt]

Clearly Steven Gerrard

Care to explain?

I might be a lil biased towards Ballack, but I don't see how one is clearly better then the other. I agree with cgf, Ballack's play on the International stage, puts him ahead. With a lil bit more luck, he could have won the WC, the CL and the Euro Cup, not to mention the league titles he's won. I can't think of too many players, that were in the position.

If you're talking about titles, i agree that what i said isn't true. Based just on their individual performances, 100% Gerrard, in my opinion, is one of the best players of last years, and Ballack never reached that level. And on top of that, Steven is one of the most clutch players of the world.

[lukekarts]

I hate Stevie G, he's a scumbag who should've been locked up; but I think this is as close to equal as it gets. Ballack was instrumental in getting two teams to punch above their weight. Bayer Leverkusen had no place in the 2002 CL Final (though in hindsight that season did make the careers of players like Ze Roberto and Lucio), likewise his near-success with Germany was part of his doing.

Gerrard meanwhile helped Milan collapse and was part of that humiliation in Germany a decade ago. Both had some great moments. I think Ballack gets more of a negative view right now because he spent the decline of his career playing for Chelsea, and was therefore not integral to our success.

[Massimo]

I think Gerrard has the better prime, but Ballack will have the better career (considering that Gerrard is still playing). Just more accomplishments and success overall domestically and nationally.

Done deal.

[cgf]

I can't help but wonder whether people's opinions of Ballack at his peak would be different if he had spent his prime in england and then come back to germany at the end of it, instead of leaving german for england during the last years of his prime. I would never trade the current german squad for the 2002 group, but there's not a player on the german team right now who can impact the game the way Ballack was able to do back then. He was just such a versatile offensive weapon coming up form the midfield. His cannon of a shot, his deadly arial prowess, his timing stepping up on the field and his touch on crosses and long balls were absolutely painful to watch being wasted on a largely talentless team since him Schneider were the only guys who could really make anything happen in the flow of the game. If that Ballack who lead Leverkusen to the CL final and then Bayern to dominance had played for Chelsea instead I think people wouldn't be so quick to take Gerrard's peak over Ballack's.

Although I'm probably biased because I was just a teenager back then and Ballack was my second favorite player in the world until Kahn retired. I just adored how many different ways he could change the game for his team. I mean the guy was even a really strong defender back then who could use his strength, size and intelligence to really make teams force things offensively.

[Point forward]

I hate Ballack with a passion, but he is so good that he makes the comparison close despite being the ultimate silver medal "winner". Ballack led us to the WC 2002 Finals (he sacrificed himself in the Semis with a second yellow card and missed the game), unluckily lost the 2002 CL (where Ze Roberto and Nowotny were missing), the 2006 WC Semis (where he was great again) and the 2008 EC Finals (ditto, but sucked in the Finals just like the rest of the team), towed a hapless Bayern squad into multiple KO rounds and was one John Terry misstep away from the CL win.

Gerrard has been Jekyll and Hyde. Fantastic with Liverpool but a laughingstock in all England tourneys. But then, he was loyal, whereas Ballack was a mercenary who left in bad blood at every club he played for: Kaiserslautern, Leverkusen, Bayern, Chelsea and now Leverkusen again.

It reminds me of a Karl Malone vs Kevin Garnett comparison, with Ballack being Malone and Gerrard being KG: both have a scumbag factor but are the best at what they do - with Malone/Ballack always getting the short end of the stick, whereas KG/Gerrard had his moment of eternal glory. All in all, Gerrard by a hair. History loves winners, especially underdog winners like LFC vs Milan.

[EdMar_Davis]

I just wish he had won one of those major cups, I think that would have put him over Gerrard easily. I still think he had the better career, but I can see why others think Gerrard was better.

Ballack and shweinstiger, would have been awsome together in the middle.

[Elden Payton]

I hate Ballack with a passion, but he is so good that he makes the comparison close despite being the ultimate silver medal "winner". Ballack led us to the WC 2002 Finals (he sacrificed himself in the Semis with a second yellow card and missed the game), unluckily lost the 2002 CL (where Ze Roberto and Nowotny were missing), the 2006 WC Semis (where he was great again) and the 2008 EC Finals (ditto, but sucked in the Finals just like the rest of the team), towed a hapless Bayern squad into multiple KO rounds and was one John Terry misstep away from the CL win.

Gerrard has been Jekyll and Hyde. Fantastic with Liverpool but a laughingstock in all England tourneys. But then, he was loyal, whereas Ballack was a mercenary who left in bad blood at every club he played for: Kaiserslautern, Leverkusen, Bayern, Chelsea and now Leverkusen again.

It reminds me of a Karl Malone vs Kevin Garnett comparison, with Ballack being Malone and Gerrard being KG: both have a scumbag factor but are the best at what they do - with Malone/Ballack always getting the short end of the stick, whereas KG/Gerrard had his moment of eternal glory. All in all, Gerrard by a hair. History loves winners, especially underdog winners like LFC vs Milan.

excellent post & great analogy.

[rashmi kamani]

Michel Ballack and Gerrard both are my favorite players, but when it come to choose one among them, it is obvious i will go on the side of Ballack. Ballack has scored more goals then Gerrard in International teams. Ballack was awarded as "Best German Football" player for three times.

[Batu7]

Ballack for me. Had the year 2002 ended in his favor, it would have been a much easier choice.