Michael Ballack’s long term girlfriend pays tribute to his ‘angel’ son Emilio following tragic death

Michael Ballack’s long term girlfriend Natacha Tannous has paid tribute to the German footballing legend’s son after he tragically died in a quadbike accident last week.

The 18-year-old was killed after being crushed by a quad-bike near the family’s holiday home in Portugal.

The accident around 2am Thursday at the family’s Villas do Mar estate, near the town of Troia which is just south of the capital, Lisbon.

Natacha Tannous took to Instagram to pay tribute to Emilio Ballack on Sunday 

Police said the teenager had been riding on an uneven piece of land when the bike rolled backwards and fell on top of him. Firefighters had to pull him free of the wreck before medics tried to revive him, but their efforts proved in vain and he was pronounced dead at the scene.  

And Ballack’s partner has been the first one close to the family to comment on the tragedy. 

Posting a series of photos to Instagram, she wrote: ‘When I first met you, you were 12. You’ve been a teenager out of the ordinary…so empathetic, compassionate, smart, kind-hearted, clever, good at anything (golf, basketball, football). You had an incredible personality, that’s why you were always popular… You were so charming, you’d convince me to play verstecken“ 4 times/day, or the „nicht lachen“ game, where I’d always lose to you ��

I am still laughing at stories from the expertise summer camp. You simply made everyone laugh and brought a smile on anyone’s face.

The 18-year-old was crushed by a quad-bike near the family’s holiday home in Portugal, according to reports

I have never in my life seen a teenager who would never fight, and always try to help people; you would always stand in the middle and act like a pacificator. You were incredible.

Going through our WhatsApps, I have uncontrollable tears, at all these funny cherished moments; and even those maths exercises or humanities essays, because you wanted to be good at everything, you were so driven & always pushed yourself. Being average was out of the question for you.

I was convinced you’d be successful at whatever you would endeavor. Which you have. Your entire life. But it was just too short. Stolen from you. 

There are no words to describe this tragedy. None. It is such a horrible nightmare that one wishes to wake up from. You were a ray of sunshine, and you left?! How is that even fair?

Emilio, 18, pictured in his last Instagram post at the family’s holiday home just six days before Thursday’s accident in Portugal

The only consolation is that I feel so blessed that I have met you and I was lucky enough to have spent so much time with you, for nearly 5 years.

But it makes it just as heartbreaking and devastating…

In hindsight, should have allowed Nutella for breakfast, should have allowed to stay up playing video games before exams, should have allowed haribos in the bedroom. Why try to be good when it now seems all so futile… 

You have lived your youth like an angel, and you left as one. I pray for you #Emilio

My thoughts are with your dad, Louis& Jordi, Oma& Opa and family on both Michael and Simone’s side in this extremely hard and inconsolable moment. There are no comforting words. And never will be.

Emilio, you have touched each of us forever. You now have left an unhealable scar on everybody’s hearts. On mine eternally.  

Chelsea icon and Emilio enjoy a day out in New York City in 2019, where they spent some downtime in Times Square (right)