Dietmar Constantini will step down as coach of Austria when his contract expires at the end of the year after his team failed to qualify for Euro 2012. The 56-year-old Constantini will not be offered a new contract, president Leo Windtner of the Austrian football federation said on Wednesday, a day after a goalless draw with Turkey ended Austria's final hopes of reaching Euro 2012.

Former Germany captain Michael Ballack stepped up his sharp criticism of Germany coach Joachim Loew, saying he had already decided to quit the national team when Loew announced that the player had no future with the squad. The 34-year-old former Chelsea midfielder said Sunday that he wanted to announce the decision himself.

Former Germany captain Michael Ballack says he had already decided to quit the national team when coach Joachim Loew announced that the midfielder had no future with the squad. Ballack says he wanted to announce the decision himself. He adds that he had a deal with the German soccer federation to make the announcement during the offseason after deciding in May he wanted to quit.