Best player so far: Ribery
Munich - From builder's labourer to Europe's best footballer: It may sound like a low-budget film script, but it is the true story of .
Industrious and illustrious
The FC Bayern München midfielder used to work on the building yard back in his native France because he could not earn a living wage from football early in his career. Now, the 2012/13 UEFA Best Player in Europe is on the brink of perhaps being crowned the best player on the planet.
The Frenchman once again showed the Bundesliga all his array of tricks and talent in the first half of the 2013/14 season. With six goals and no fewer than nine assists, the wing wizard helped guide Bayern to top spot at the midway stage of the season.
So while he used to be a manual labourer, the 30-year-old is now one of the chief architects Bayern's success. Five titles in the 2013 calendar year, or success with 'Mission5', as the Bavarians themselves have dubbed it. In fact, 'Ribery's Mission 5' could be a good name for a biopic on the midfielder: after all the dramatic screenplay has already been written.
Surprise package | Rookie | Striker | Coach | Goalkeeper | Transfers
Still not sure what all the fuss over Ribery is about? Sit back and savour a sample of his skills with this awesome free-kick, courtesy of the official Bundesliga YouTube channel:
