Germany captain Michael Ballack will return for the host's second World Cup Group A game against Poland on Wednesday, coach Juergen Klinsmann said today.

"Michael will play in the second game," the coach said. "You can take that for granted."

Ballack was left out of the team for Germany's 4-2 win over Costa Rica in the opening match of the World Cup on Friday over concerns that his calf strain had not healed completely.