#7 Franck Ribéry

[Vargas_4]

He sure is!

Could easily be compared to the likes of Kaká, Dihno & others... Of course, his best is yet to come

[Trim]

A great article on Franck Ribéry.

Joker in the pack is an ace for club and country

IT IS not just Bundesliga defenders who are struggling to deal with Franck Ribery - his new Bayern Munich team-mates are also getting used to life with the French winger. During their pre-season training camp in the Black Forest, Ribery cut Daniel van Buyten's socks in half and smeared toothpaste on several of his team-mates' hotel-room door-handles in a fancy hotel in Donauwörth. "Yeah, I did that," he admitted. "Lukas Podolski is another big joker in the team, and I got him back with that. He had no idea it was coming."

Ribery's decision to leave Marseille one year after his breakthrough appearances in the World Cup was no great surprise - he had been linked with Lyon, Inter, Barcelona, Arsenal and Liverpool. But considering Bayern finished fourth last season, their worst position for 12 years, and did not qualify for the Champions League, the transfer - and the amount, a club record £16m - raised eyebrows in Germany and France.

But Ribery was convinced Bayern was the right club for him. "I always felt that the club really wanted me. There were contacts with Real Madrid and Arsenal but after the World Cup, Bayern were concrete in their interest and from the moment I left Marseille, they were as good as their word."

Already the transfer-fee has been forgotten. In France, there are snorts of derision that Thierry Henry and Darren Bent cost the same as the in-form 24-year-old, while in Germany, Ribery is shaking up an old-fashioned club and bringing it into the present. The Frenchman served notice of his talent on his competitive debut in the League Cup quarter-final, with two goals in a 4-1 win over Werder Bremen. In the semi-final against Bundesliga champions Stuttgart, he latched on to Mark van Bommel's back-heel and sent a long-range dipping shot into the top corner. "The guy is like an extra-terrestrial," said Van Bommel. "In a few years, he will be one of the best in the world. At 24, he can already do everything."

In Bayern's first Bundesliga match of the season, he baffled three Hansa Rostock players on the touchline by flicking the ball and spinning away from them and in his next match, against Werder Bremen but away from home, Ribery scored a first-half penalty with an audacious "Panenka-style" chip from 12 yards, and then wowed the fans with a piece of skill in the second half. Outside his own area, he controlled the ball on his chest, flicking it on to his foot, where he kept it lodged against his ankle as he flicked it over his marker and ran into the opposition half. The move ended with Halil Altintop scoring Bayern's third goal in a 4-0 win.

"Bayern has a king again" is the slogan of the new Nike advertising campaign, while reports have suggested that the club have already made back over £4m in Ribery-related merchandise sales. Even Ottmar Hitzfeld, the Bayern coach, has been won over by Ribery's cheek. "Unlike most of his team-mates, who can be grumpy, Franck always arrives at training with a smile and he is a bit of a clown in the dressing-room," he said.

Ribery took advice about the move from two Frenchmen with experience of playing at Bayern: former France international Bixente Lizarazu and current full-back Willy Sagnol. But his mind was made up when he asked Raymond Domenech for his opinion. "He said good things about Bayern and that convinced me that I would like it," Ribery said.

To have Domenech's blessing was crucial: the outspoken France coach refused to pick David Trezeguet when he was playing for Juventus in Serie B and had overlooked Werder Bremen midfielder Johan Micoud when he was starring in the Bundesliga. Ribery wanted to be certain that he would still figure in the France team even if he was not playing on the Champions League stage.

But Domenech cannot afford to be without Ribery, not just because he has become the fans' favourite ever since he won a penalty on his international debut against Mexico (in a pre-World Cup friendly) and had so impressed his team-mates that they wanted him to take it. He demurred, bowing to seniority and allowing Sylvain Wiltord to score from the spot. It was still something of a surprise when Ribery was selected in France's World Cup squad - especially when you consider that those left out included Ludovic Giuly, Robert Pires and Nicolas Anelka.

The fondness from his team-mates was soon apparent: in the quarter-final win over Brazil, Zidane passed to Ribery more than any other team-mate, and it was the winger whom Zidane sought out to hug after the semi-final win over Portugal.

"I don't consider myself to be one of the leaders of the France team - that's the kind of thing that happens when you have more than 80 caps - but obviously I feel more at ease than a youngster who is coming into the team for the first time," said Ribery. "That's how I felt going into the World Cup. But now, I understand how the team works. I don't have to change the way I am or the way I play, I still must try things, be focused and everything will be fine. That is the way I do it."

Ribery scored against Ukraine and has developed an impressive understanding with Henry and Florent Malouda. All three players regularly swap positions during a match, with Henry sometimes moving to the left-wing, Ribery to the right, and Malouda slipping into the middle, or another way round. Zidane spent the World Cup playing just behind Henry and that is another position that Ribery can fill, though against Scotland on Wednesday, it is more likely that Anelka or Samir Nasri, the newest young star on the horizon, will be given that task.

"I don't care where I play in the team," he said. "Sometimes, I feel better on one side, sometimes in the middle. In the middle, I feel I have a bit more freedom, so I can drop deep and take the ball from the defensive midfielders. But it is no big deal, for the France team, I would play anywhere."

Yet despite his form, he will still be twitchy before Domenech names his X1 to face Scotland at the Parc des Princes this week. "I am always a bit nervous before the team is announced, because you just never know," he said.

"Every time a squad is announced, I jump on the internet to see if I am in. And every time I see my name it's a relief. It makes me feel good. Even when I am injured, I am really annoyed not to be in the team. It is so important to me: this team is like a drug, I have to play for them, I am very proud of the France shirt. It is not just any shirt."

Ribery has not won over everyone in Germany, though. Newspaper Die Welt criticised his fashion sense, saying: "The Frenchman is clearly the new star on the pitch at Bayern. Off the pitch, however, he has failed to integrate as far as fashion is concerned. At the moment he is walking around in his new hood like a gangsta-rapper who has become too rich too quickly." But it is his performances on the pitch that have rejuvenated Bayern and the Bundesliga.

When Ribery came on to replace Mehmet Scholl in the former German international's last game for Bayern, in a friendly against Barcelona, both men were wearing the No.7 shirt. "Ribery is the new No.7 and I am proud to have him as my successor," said Scholl, who for 15 years was Bayern's most exciting player. German football may have Ribery for now, but the French team has him for keeps.

Scotland on Sunday - Sport - Football - Joker in the pack is an ace for club and country

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Bayern fans have voted on the 'Bayern Player of the Month' for August.

Ribéry is the winner, with 61,7%.

The complete Top-10:

1. Franck Ribéry 61,7
2. Miroslav Klose 11,2
3. Luca Toni 10,6
4. Martin Demichelis 4,5
5. Bastian Schweinsteiger 3,2
6. Zé Roberto 2,4
7. Oliver Kahn 2,2
8. Hamit Altintop 1,6
9. Marcell Jansen 1,5
10. Mark van Bommel 1,1

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World Soccer Magazine caught up with French winger Franck Ribéry, who is enjoying a breakout year at his new club, Bayern Munich. The 24-year-old made his 25 million euro move in July — the German superclub had sought his services since his star performance at last summer’s World Cup.

Question: How do you feel about being proclaimed the new superstar of the Bundesliga?

Ribéry: That’s not a role I want or, for that matter, that I think is due to me. I have no ambition to be the superstar. All I want now that I have settled in at Bayern is to be able to work hard, fulfill what is expected of me, enjoy my football and entertain my teammates and the fans. And I want to win titles and trophies. Then I will be happy.

Q: What are Bayern’s priorities this season, given that you aren’t in the Champions League?

Ribéry: To win the German League. We are also in the UEFA Cup; we can go all the way to the final of that.

Q: You personally have started well. How have you found your first few weeks at Bayern?

Ribéry: It was not easy to leave Marseille but I get on well with all my new teammates, and the coach, Ottmar Hitzfeld, has helped me a lot. He gives me a lot of good advice. The team spirit is excellent — and all that helps me to do my best out on the pitch. I get on well with the coach. Mostly I talk to him with Daniel van Buyten to translate, or Willy Sagnol. The first time I went to the coach’s office it was so he could tell me how he wanted me to play, whether I preferred the left or the right, if I could play in behind a striker. That sort of thing.

Q: What did you tell him?

Ribéry: That I prefer to play on the left but if, because of injuries or whatever else, he needed me to play on the right then I would happily do so. In the League Cup against Werder Bremen, for example, I started out on the left and later I tucked in behind Miroslav Klose like an old-fashioned No 10.

Q: Why did you join Bayern?

Ribéry: I felt it was the club that really, really wanted me. There were contacts with Real Madrid and with Arsenal, but after last year’s World Cup, Bayern let me know in no uncertain terms that it really wanted me to go there. Even though I stayed on for another year at Marseille, Bayern never gave up on me. I talked it through with Sagnol and Bixente Lizarazu, who know German football and Bayern very well of course, and they told me how it all worked, that it was a good standard of football which would suit my game.

Q: Were they right, from your first impressions?

Ribéry: Yes. But it’s very different to French-league football. I found out straight away that here in Germany they “play” a lot more with the arms, particularly the defenders, in obstructing forwards. But one thing I really like are the stadiums. We played a League Cup quarterfinal at a third-division stadium in Dusseldorf in front of more than 50,000 fans. How many fans can you get in a third-division stadium in France?

Q: Do you like the Allianz Arena?

Ribéry: I knew the Allianz Arena already because I played there for France in the World Cup semifinals, and it’s the best stadium I’ve seen in Germany. What I had not seen before I came here was the training center. It is already very good but Bayern is in the middle of redeveloping it — lots of pitches, treatment rooms, medical staff. Highly professional. Nothing is left to chance, during the week or on match days.

Q: There is a French-speaking “community” at Bayern. Did that influence you in your choice of club?

Ribéry: No. Of course, it’s good to have Sagnol, van Buyten and Ismaël here but I would have come anyway and had a “proper” interpreter.

Q: Did you expect to make such an instant impression with the fans?

Ribéry: I did not think about that in advance but certainly it’s true that people in the city recognized me very quickly. That, for me, was a positive sign. Hopefully, I can learn enough German as soon as possible. I didn’t know any of the language before I came here but I know it’s very important so I’ve started taking lessons. Anyway, I like the city and so do my wife and daughter. It’s important that the family feels at home.

Q: You have a reputation for playing practical jokes on your teammates. Have you maintained this at Bayern?

Ribéry: Yes, I have always been the same, I will not change now. I cut the ends off van Buyten’s socks when he was in the shower. He could not understand what had happened! He is a lot taller and heavier than me but I am quicker! Anyway, I think in football people need a sense of humor. Everything gets taken so seriously.

Q: Who was your hero?

Ribéry: Diego Maradona, for me, is the best footballer of all time. In recent times, Zinédine Zidane. He was outstanding.

Ribéry: The team spirit is excellent « Bayern Lounge

[Oliver_Kahn]

Originally Posted by Trim17

Bayern fans have voted on the 'Bayern Player of the Month' for August.

Ribéry is the winner, with 61,7%.

The complete Top-10:

Deserved, he was class.

I dont doubt him anymore, top 5 winger in the world.

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German employees who travel to work in a car, using public transport, on a pushbike or on a motorbike can deduct costs of between five and 30 Eurocents per kilometre from their annual tax return. Unfortunately, the allowance does not apply to persons who make the daily journey on foot.

That’s bad luck for Franck Ribéry, the player described by coach Ottmar Hitzfeld as Bayern’s “running man”, as he would be in for a whopping tax rebate if he was permitted to deduct the kilometres he covers on the field of play. The France star was a key contributor to his side’s hard-earned 2-1 victory away to VfL Bochum, and was subsequently labelled “the best man on the park” by no less an authority than Hitzfeld himself.

Pace and stamina aplenty

“That’s the difference compared to last year, where we sometimes fell behind but didn’t have an individual with the class to turn a game round,” commented general manager Uli Hoeneß, praising the club’s new number seven to the skies. “Today it was Franck Ribéry, who not only scored a goal, he brilliantly set up the winner and also kept his cool in some genuinely tricky situations.“

“I’ve rarely worked with a footballer who’s so quick and at the same time boasts so much stamina,” Hitzfeld agreed, thoroughly impressed by the 24-year-old Frenchman’s exceptional work rate. Ribery equalised In the 35th minute with a cheeky back-heel and later showed tremendous vision to pick out Bastian Schweinsteiger for the 78th-minute winner.

Still only human

The performance was not necessarily to be expected, Hitzfeld pointed out, given Franck had twice appeared for his country in the previous seven days. “I was surprised how fresh he was,” the coach admitted, revealing he had considered withdrawing Ribery from the action after 70 minutes or so. “But he was still in great shape,” Hitzfeld said with astonishment, “I was amazed, it’s not something I was expecting.“

The summer arrival from Olympique Marseille was enjoying a “superb season, although he did go off the boil briefly,“ the coach analysed. “That showed he is in fact only human and has his limits.“ However, that in turn highlighted Franck’s excellence in Bochum. “He’s capable of summoning up every reserve in his body, he has real character and a total desire to win.“

Ahead of the pack

His team-mates are well aware of the class added by the 1.70 metre / 5 ft 7 in Ribéry. “Having him here is tremendous,” said Mark van Bommel, “he’s genuine class. And we all work to help him do his stuff.” The match stats from Bochum showed that Ribéry delivered the most shots at goal (3), provided the most assists (7), and played the ball more than any other player. His total of 95 touches was twice as many as Bochum’s best, Dennis Grote on 47.

Last but not least, when Ribéry does score, the effort is usually spectacular, as he followed up a lobbed penalty against Werder Bremen with Saturday’s delicate flick. Asked if it was the best goal of his career, the player had an answer ready: “No. That was for Marseille two years ago. From 37 metres.“

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Ribéry felt a hamstring go stiff after Saturday’s trip to Bochum and reported to the medical unit for treatment on Monday.

However, he remained in Munich after failing to recover from the injury.

Bayern will be without him in Belgrade against Red Star.

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Ribéry set for comeback

Oliver Kahn fielded shots from Sepp Maier, Walter Junghans and Bernd Dreher, while 20 yards away Franck Ribéry dribbled, passed and ran with his team-mates. Ribéry and Kahn then took each other on in shooting practice at the end of the session, much to Ottmar Hitzfeld’s satisfaction. The injury situation at Bayern showed definite signs of easing on Thursday, although neither of the world-class players has yet been given the final green light to resume playing.

“They could be in contention for Saturday,” Hitzfeld announced, as Kahn and Ribéry eye comebacks at home to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Ribéry rejoined the squad programme on Thursday for the first time since damaging knee tendons against Bochum. “The medical unit says he’s OK, but I want to wait and see how confident he feels,” Hitzfeld said. The first impressions are positive. “You can see he’s fit and determined to play,” Miroslav Klose reported.

***

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Typically for Franck Ribery, the sight of four Wolfsburg defenders barring his way after 35 minutes of Saturday’s match in Munich failed to deter him from attempting to dibble his way through. The fourth man, left-back Peter van der Hayden, appeared to have dispossessed the Bayern man, but Ribery seized on the Belgian’s momentary hesitation, regained the ball and squared for Miroslav Klose to slot home the opening goal.

Ribery then started and finished Bayern’s second goal of the afternoon, relieving Marcelinho of possession just 25 yards from Oliver Kahn’s goal, before leaving Jacek Krzynowek for dead with a neat backheel and haring off up the pitch. A double exchange of passes with Hamit Altintop left Ribery with a clear run at Simon Jentzsch in the Wolfsburg goal, the Bayern man completing a superbly-executed counter-attack with a shot through the keeper’s legs.

Paying back record fee

“Franck is quite simply world class. He was sensational again today, and two individual moments have earned us the three points,” enthused coach Ottmar Hitzfeld. “We’ve seen another demonstration of Ribery’s ability, and it was tremendous,” added general manager Uli Hoeneß after witnessing yet more justification for the club record transfer fee paid to Marseille for the player last summer.

Ribery is certainly one of a kind, and also hardly the easiest player to fit into a rigid tactical concept. The Frenchman usually starts out on the left side of midfield, but is liable to pop up anywhere on the pitch in the course of a match, starting his trademark high-speed thrusts past startled defenders and into the opposing penalty area. “It would be a mistake to take away his freedom to roam. He depends on his speed and creativity, and we all profit from that,” Klose mused. Added Altintop: “He’s really easy to get along with, because he enjoys his football so much.“

Standing ovation

Hitzfeld is aware of the rare talent he has at his disposal, and the need to cherish and nurture it. Ahead of the Wolfsburg clash he spent an hour in a heart-to-heart conversation with Ribery, urging him to maintain his individual style and panache. “His dribbling skill is unique in the Bundesliga,” the coach commented. The Frenchman was a doubt for Saturday until the morning of the match, as he returned from France’s meeting with Ukraine carrying a minor injury. “Dr Müller-Wohlfahrt did everything necessary to get him fit,” Hitzfeld revealed.

The effort put in by the club chief medic certainly paid off. “Franck is important to us. I’m delighted he was fit to play, and then played so well,” Hitzfeld remarked. The stadium rose to acclaim the 24-year-old when he gave way to Toni Kroos four minutes from time. Even during the match, the 69,000 at the ground gave Ribery standing ovations on an afternoon when he danced with the Wolves.

First goal at the Allianz Arena

“It was a vital win for the club and the players, restoring our confidence. We’re delighted we’ve taken all three points,” the player declared in the Allianz Arena mixed zone afterwards. Ribery had previously failed to score on his home ground. “I’m thrilled I’ve finally managed my first goal at the Allianz Arena,” he confirmed. It will surely not be his last.

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FC Bayern secured the services of Franck Ribery on a four-year contract this summer.

bundesliga.de knows what characterises the Frenchman.



Bilal

Franck Ribery converted to an Islamist in 2002. "I've searched for something that helps me find ease of mind, and I found it in the Islam", says Ribery, who stands to the rules. For example he doesn't trink alcohol, and that in the beer capital Munich, of all cities. His Muslim name is Bilal - a significant name, for Bilal was the first Muezzin (person who calls the prayer, ed.) in the Islam. When Ribery joined FC Bayern, he introduced himself as Bilal. His wife Wahiba Belhami comes from Algeria, and he prays to Allah ahead of every match.



Istanbul 2005

It was in the winter of 2005: Fenerbahce announced the signing of Nicolas Anelka, and city rivals Galatasaray secured the services of Franck Ribery from FC Metz on the same day. There was a lot of premature praise for Fenerbahce, but it was Ribery who became a crowd favourite in no time at all. "I've never seen such a quick player", Turkish striker legend Hakan Sükür said about his team-mate. By the way: Anelka never settled down at Fenerbahce.



"Scarface"

The face injury Ribery suffered in a car crash when he was a child reminded the Galatasaray fans of the legendary movie "Scarface" featuring Al Pacino. And when the supporters unveiled a banner at a home game it featured the French winger instead of Pacino. The Turkish media gave him another nick-name because auf his quickness: "FerraRibery".



Boulogne-sur-Mer

Franck Ribery comes from the working-class town Boulogne-sur-Mer. And as unpredictable as he's on the pitch today, as explosive was his temper when he was young. He was thrown out of OSC Lille's youth academy aged 16. He had a bad time in Ales when the club where no longer able to pay the wages and he got kicked out of his flat. When he was at a dead end, his father provided him with a job as a building worker. But that didn't last long. Soon after Ribery won his first professional contract in Metz, and he has never looked back. But he certainly takes life more easy these days.



Wahiba Ribery

When Franck Ribery was presented to the press in June, he had a joke up his sleeve. "My wife is here with me, but she's a bit disappointed." And after everyone had taken the bait, he explained: "She wanted to go shopping and didn't know about the holiday." Wahiba and Franck are inseparable. Wahiba comes from Algeria. The two met in France, and Wahiba gave birth to daughter Hizya in 2005.



The joker

New signings need time to settle down, everyone knows that. Franck Ribery needed just a few minutes, as he became the joker in the Bayern camp immediately. Daniel van Buyten was one of the first victims: cut socks and open car doors were just two of Ribery's tricks. And the Frenchman has targetted Sporting Director Uli Hoeneß next. Let's see what he's got in store...



Zinedine Zidane

France were in an uproar when Zinedine Zidane announced his retirement ahead of the 2006 World Cup. Who should take over from Zidane in the "Equipe Tricolore"? In the end "Zizou" himself announced his successor. "He is the jewel of French football", Zidane said about Ribery. And he was right. The French national team without Ribery? Unimaginable!



"Bayern has a king again!"

Not long ago a very large banner, hanging at the currently restored Theatiner church in Munich, announced in giant latters: "Bayern has a king again!" The advertisement of a well-known sports article giant showed new Bayern signing Franck Ribery, posing like former "fairy tale king" Ludwig II.

[BlackNess]

Very good read .

i didn't know much about his history ... thanks Trim .

[BlackNess]

Bundesliga: Dazzling Ribery goal seals Bayern win


France midfielder Franck Ribery propelled Bayern Munich back to first place in the Bundesliga on Sunday with a splendid first-half goal in a 1-0 victory in the rain at Arminia Bielefeld.


Ribery gathered a through ball from Italy striker Luca Toni after outracing two Bielefeld defenders. He rounded goalkeeper Mathias Hain at the right edge of the box before powering an angled shot i