Ballack was also eager to set the record straight about his failure once again to walk away with a trophy following the European Championship final, which ended in a painful 1-0 loss to Spain.

"My contract runs until 2009 and there is an option to extend it, so there's no need to rush," Ballack told the Bild newspaper. "We are capable of winning anything, including of course the Champions League next season - that was the reason I signed with Chelsea."

Ballack said his three losses in major title finals doesn't spoil his record as a winner. The 31-year-old midfielder has claimed eight national titles at various clubs.

"Naturally I'm missing the major title," Ballack said. "But who has a better record to show than me? Some have won just one title and live from it their whole lives, some never win anything."

His loss to Manchester United this season with Chelsea was the second time Ballack failed to win a Champions League final. In 2002, Bayer Leverkusen lost to Real Madrid 2-1 on Zinedine Zidane's goal.

Ballack feels unjustly blamed for Germany's 2-0 loss to Brazil in the 2002 World Cup final, although he was suspended for the match. He points out his winners in the quarterfinals and semifinals of that World Cup, before a deliberate foul to prevent a goal triggered his suspension.

"A top performance is presented years later as something negative," Ballack said. "People have to understand that."

Ballack alluded to the fact that John Terry's penalty kick would have won this year's Champions League final against United during the shootout, but the English player slipped and his shot flew right of the post.

If it had gone in, Ballack would have his title.

"Sometimes things come together and you leave the pitch as a winner," he said. "Sometimes things happen like that Champions League final that you can't influence anymore. But that's what football is about."