Neverkusen: Michael Ballack's 2002

In 2002 Bayer Leverkusen came within touching distance of a historic treble and finished second in all three competitions. Their star, Michael Ballack, then lost a World Cup final he was suspended for. German fans had already nicknamed the club "Neverkusen"; that season made the name stick.

Frame one: the domestic collapse

Leverkusen played thrilling football in 2001-02 under Klaus Toppmöller, with Ballack arriving late in the box, Zé Roberto gliding down the left and Lúcio charging forward from defence. They led the Bundesliga for much of the season, but two defeats in the closing weeks let Borussia Dortmund past them, and the title went to Dortmund by a single point. It echoed 2000, when Leverkusen needed only a draw at Unterhaching on the final day, lost 2-0, and watched Bayern Munich take the title. Our poster The Domestic Collapse is where the story begins.

Frame two: the cup final in Berlin

A week later, on 11 May 2002, Leverkusen faced Schalke 04 in the DFB-Pokal final at Berlin's Olympiastadion. Dimitar Berbatov gave them the lead, but Schalke hit back and won 4-2. Two trophies gone in a week, with the biggest game of all still to come. That is The Final Defiance.

Frame three: Zidane at Hampden

To reach the Champions League final Leverkusen had knocked out Liverpool and then Manchester United on away goals. In Glasgow on 15 May they met Real Madrid. Raúl scored early, Lúcio headed an equaliser, and then, just before half-time, Zinedine Zidane volleyed Roberto Carlos's looping cross into the top corner with his weaker left foot. Leverkusen pushed hard in the second half, but Iker Casillas, on as a substitute, made a series of late saves. Real won 2-1. From Leverkusen's side it is The Stroke of Grace. Read more in our story of Zidane's volley.

Frame four: the ultimate sacrifice

Ballack went to the World Cup in Korea and Japan as Germany's driving force. In the semi-final against co-hosts South Korea in Seoul on 25 June, he stopped a dangerous breakaway with a deliberate foul, knowing the yellow card would rule him out of the final. Four minutes later he scored the only goal of the game. Germany reached the final without him and lost 2-0 to Brazil, with Ronaldo scoring both goals. Our final frame is The Ultimate Sacrifice.

Why Neverkusen deserves a wall

Football remembers winners, but the nearly-men tell richer stories. Leverkusen's 2002 side reshaped German football, and Ballack became one of the finest midfielders of his generation. Their season is a reminder that how you play can matter as much as what you win.

Frame the whole season

Buy any frame on its own, or take all four as the Michael Ballack 2002 Tragedy set and save versus buying them separately. Every set includes a free holographic card, and shipping is free across India.

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