Editing Michael Ballack (section)

=== Chemnitzer FC ===
Ballack's parents sent him to train with sports community BSG Motor "Fritz Heckert" Karl-Marx-Stadt at the age of seven. Ballack was praised by coach Steffen Hänisch. Hänisch was particularly impressed  by the well-developed technique for Ballack's age and his ability to shoot with both feet. Ballack was then allowed to attend the elite Children and Youth Sports School (KSJ) "Emil Wallner" in Karl-Marx-Stadt.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=5 August 2021 |title=Michael Ballack privat: Ist der DFB-Star nach der Trennung wieder zu haben? |url=https://www.news.de/promis/855882571/michael-ballack-privat-getrennt-von-ex-freundin-natacha-tannous-dfb-star-mit-ex-frau-simone-mecky-ballack-soehne-louis-emilio-jordi/1/ |work=news.de |language=de |location=[[Leipzig]] |publisher=MM New Media GmbH |access-date=13 December 2021 }}</ref> He then joined the larger and more promoted football club FC Karl-Marx-Stadt (renamed [[Chemnitzer FC]] in 1990) in 1988. The father of Ballack had played second-division football himself in Germany.

In 1995, Ballack earned his first professional contract, thanks to his performances in the role of central midfielder. He was dubbed the "Little Kaiser", in reference to [[Franz Beckenbauer]], who was nicknamed "''Der Kaiser''". His professional debut came on 4 August 1995, on the first day of the new [[2. Bundesliga]] season. Chemnitz lost the game 2–1, against [[Lokomotive Leipzig|VfB Leipzig]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fussballdaten.de/zweiteliga/1996/1/chemnitz-leipzig |title=Chemnitzer FC – VfB Leipzig |access-date=4 July 2011 |work=Fussballdaten.de |language=de |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100216115834/http://www.fussballdaten.de/zweiteliga/1996/1/chemnitz-leipzig |archive-date=16 February 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> At the end of the season, during which Ballack made 15 appearances, Chemnitz were relegated to the multi-tiered, regional [[Regionalliga Nordost|third division]].<ref name="club and country stats"/> The following season, Ballack became a regular first-team player as Chemnitz missed out on an immediate return to the Bundesliga. He did not miss a game and scored ten goals for the "Sky Blues". It was not enough for Chemnitz to be promoted, but in the summer of 1997, coach [[Otto Rehhagel]] of just-promoted [[1. FC Kaiserslautern]] signed Ballack at their return to top flight football.<ref name=nearlyman/>