Michael Ballack, captain of the German national football team, uses cruthces as he leaves a specialist sports clinic in Munich.

Germany were today reeling from the news that Michael Ballack, their captain and most influential player, will miss the World Cup finals after the Chelsea midfielder was ruled out with ankle ligament damage. Ballack feared the worst when he was unable to continue in the FA Cup final against Portsmouth following Kevin‑Prince Boateng's reckless challenge on Saturday and an MRI scan has since confirmed the severity of the injury.

The 33-year-old has torn the medial collateral ligament in his right ankle and faces a minimum of eight weeks on the sidelines before he can return to training, ending his hopes of featuring in a third successive World Cup finals and depriving Joachim Löw, the Germany coach, of his talisman.

Löw admitted he was "shocked" to learn Ballack would be play no part in South Africa and described the loss of a player who has won 98 caps as "serious" and "very sad".

Ballack's own disappointment will be deepened because of the circumstances that led to the injury. Boateng's clumsy first-half tackle caused Ballack's ankle to buckle, with the German suggesting afterwards that he felt there was a degree of intent. He left Wembley wearing a protective boot and, although an x-ray on Saturday showed there was no fracture, a scan in Munich 48 hours later revealed the ligament tear that means he has no chance of featuring in the finals.

"It's bitter to get a diagnosis like that before the World Cup," said Ballack, who was set to win his 100th cap in a friendly international against Bosnia in Frankfurt next month. "There's naturally a lot of disappointment. But that's football. Life goes on."

Löw called a team meeting to pass on the news to the rest of the Germany squad. "Of course we are shocked," said Löw. "The loss of Michael Ballack is serious. It is not an easy situation for Michael and for us all. We are all very, very sad that such an important player, our captain, who is a true world‑class player, has been ruled out. He is deeply disappointed. He put all his energy and power into playing in this World Cup."

Germany's coach admitted his players now face a much tougher task in South Africa but he hopes that Ballack's absence will allow younger members of the squad to emerge. "It is clear that it will be difficult without Ballack but we want to achieve what we have planned. We will work hard and focus all our energy on the group stage. Being resigned [to our fate] should not be talked of. We continue to hope we will have a good World Cup. Experience teaches us that in such cases, young players often come to the fore and grow."

Boateng could yet come face to face with Germany in the World Cup. The former Tottenham midfielder was born in Germany and represented their Under‑21 side but he has chosen to play for his father's country of birth, Ghana, who are in the same group as Germany, along with Serbia and Australia.

In another twist Boateng's half-brother, Jerome, is in Germany's provisional 30-man squad. Löw has spoken with the Hamburg defender and urged fans and the media "not to drag him into" the furore surrounding Ballack's injury. "I told him that we absolutely unreservedly stand by him," said Löw. "He is a member of the family."