‘Public enemy number one’ - Pompey favourite opens up on controversial FA Cup final appearance

Former Pompey favourite Kevin Prince-Boateng has opened up on the abuse he received in his final game for the club.

The 36-year-old had a footballing adventure that only some can dream of. He turned out for Italian giants AC Milan and later Barcelona, before retiring earlier this year, bringing to an end his 19-year career.

It wasn’t always plain-sailing for him however, and he has now opened up on a dark time during his days at Fratton Park.

Boateng, along with Frederic Piquionne scored in the FA Cup semi-final, to take them to the final against Premier League winners Chelsea. Pompey had already been relegated under Avram Grant, but had earned the plaudits of money for battling through adversity.

"My last game with Portsmouth was the FA Cup final against Chelsea," he began on the FIVE podcast, hosted by Rio Ferdinand.

“Where I tackled Michael Ballack, and this like ended his career, that tackle. In Germany, they like literally killed me for it. It was the last game before the World Cup. His management wanted to sue me.

“I was on eight million front pages in the world being the bad boy. In Germany they called me public enemy number one.”

In a manic few minutes however, Boateng would have a moment which put him under a negative spotlight in his country.

German football legend Ballack slapped Boateng who wasn’t too pleased at the aerial duel he had Aruna Dindane a few seconds before, Moments later, Boateng went into the back of the 98-cap international, and received a yellow card.

Ballack wasn’t able to shake it off, and was replaced by Juliano Belletti. Chelsea went on to win the FA Cup, but Ballack’s career would come to an end there and then, as he missed out on the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The timing of it all didn’t go too well, with Boateng a week before the final declaring for Ghana, beginning his South Africa, whilst Ballack’s career ended on that day at Wembley.

Boating added: “So I land in Berlin, I go to passport control, the guy looks at my pass and he looks and says you’re the guy. He throws my passport on the floor. So that’s how I was hated.

"And then like a week before that I announced I was going to play for Ghana. So all together they were ‘you traitor, you were born and raised here, and then the racism stuff came out. It was a tough time."

Boateng ended up playing against Germany, who had been in the same group and lined up against his brother Jerome. It as the first time that two brothers had played each other for opposite teams. Boateng following the conclusion of the tournament signed for Serie A side Genoa.