Former Chelsea and Germany midfielder Michael Ballack's son Emilio has passed away aged 18 in a quad bike crash in Portugal, it has been confirmed, after the Blues offered their condolences to their ex-player.
Emilio, the second of three children between Ballack and his ex-wife Simone Lambe, is reported to have been vacationing on Portugal's Troia Peninsula at the time of his death, with the accident believed to have happened on or near land owned by his family.
Michael Ballack, 44, was a fan favorite during his stay with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and he is widely considered one of the top players of his generation. The English club was among the first to offer its condolences:
Everybody associated with Chelsea Football Club is shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Emilio Ballack at the terribly young age of 18.
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 5, 2021
All our thoughts are with his father Michael and his family at this sad time. 💙
Michael Ballack emerged with German side Kaiserslautern and then moved to Bayer Leverkusen in 1999. He soon became a staple of the German national team before transferring to Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.
After the 2006 World Cup with Germany, he transferred to Chelsea, where he spent four seasons and won several domestic titles. He rejoined Bayer Leverkusen in 2010 before retiring in 2012.
He has two other children with Lambe, Louis and Jordi, who were born either side of Emilio.
Below is a photo of Michael Ballack with his son, Emilio, posted on the former player's official Instagram account pre-pandemic in February 2020.
