Euro 2012

Franck Bilal Ribéry (born April 1, 1983 in Boulogne-sur-Mer) is a French football midfielder who plays for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich.
Height:1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)

Club career

After spending the first four years of his career in his home country with four different clubs, Ribéry relocated to Turkey in January 2005, signing a three-and-a-half year contract with Galatasaray S.K., with whom he won the 2005 Fortis Turkey Cup by scoring one goal and assisting one other in a 5-1 win in the final against league rivals Fenerbahçe SK.

On April 25, 2007, an appeal by Galatasaray against Ribéry’s move to Olympique de Marseille was dismissed by the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS), who ruled in a statement that Ribéry had terminated his contract with the Turkish club at the end of the 2004-05 season on just grounds, and that Galatasaray was therefore not entitled to any compensation. Ribéry had opted out of his deal in May 2005 in order to return to France after having gone over four months without wages. Galatasaray had sought €10 million in compensation from Marseille, and appealed to CAS after FIFA ruled in Ribéry’s favor in July 2005.[1]

Ribéry has made 68 appearances in all competitions and scored fourteen goals as Marseille finished runner-up to Olympique Lyonnais in the 2006–07 Ligue 1 title race.

On June 7, 2007, Bayern Munich signed Ribéry to a four-year deal for a club-record €25 million.[2] Ribéry was given the number 7 shirt, which was freed up due to the retirement of club legend Mehmet Scholl at the end of the previous season.[3] He made his team debut one month later, scoring twice in an 18-0 friendly drubbing of Munich youth side FT Gern.

He made his competitive debut for Bayern on July 21, 2007 against Werder Bremen in the first round of the Premiere Ligapokal, scoring twice. He also netted an early goal in Bayern’s 2-0 victory over defending champions VfB Stuttgart in the semifinals, but was unable to play in the final (won by Bayern) due to injury.

On June 8, 2008, Ribéry was named the 2007-08 German Footballer of the Year.[4]

[edit] International career

Ribéry earned his first cap with France in a 1-0 victory over Mexico on May 27, 2006; he started the match but was substituted by David Trézéguet in the 74th minute.[5] He was part of France’s roster for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, where he scored one goal. He played in the final where France lost to Italy, and his only shot on goal came in extra time.[6] He scored the only goal in France’s 1-0 win over England on March 26, 2008.

On June 17, 2008, during France’s 2-0 Euro 2008 loss to Italy, Ribéry suffered an injury in the eighth minute after rupturing a ligament in his left ankle,[7] and underwent successful surgery in Munich two days later.[8] His return to play happened in the 65th minute of FC Bayern’s 2-0 win over 1. FC Nuremberg in the third round of the DFB Cup on September 24, 2008.

[edit] Personal life

When Ribéry was two years old, he and his family were involved in an automobile accident in Boulogne-sur-Mer after colliding with a truck. Ribéry suffered serious facial injuries that resulted in over one hundred stitches and left two long scars down the right side of his face.[9]