Franck Ribery Reveals Tragic Story Behind His Scars and What His Experience Has Taught Him

Veteran Bayern Munich man Franck Ribery has had facial scars from an early age and has revealed how he has learned to cope with them in an interview with French TV.

The former France midfielder has often been mocked throughout his career for these marks on his face, but insists that he has grown to accept it and has turned the scars into a positive.

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The Frenchman suffered the damage to his face as a result of a car crash at the age of two. For his entire childhood, he had to deal with looking different and being treated differently because of his appearance.

Ribery opened up in an interview with Canal+ Sport, saying: "People would say: 'Look what he has on his face, look at his head. What is this scar? It's so ugly.' Wherever I went, people would look at me.

"And not because I was a good person or because my name is Franck or was a good footballer, but because of the scar". 

A horrible situation for any child to grow up with, but the Champions League winner insists that it has made him into the person he is today.

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"They gave me character and this strength. Because, when you are a child and you have a scar like this, it's not easy. The way people see you, the comments - my family suffered for this".

Ribery's strength of character has definitely shone through in his performances as a player throughout his career. The midfielder has won many trophies, most of which with current club Bayern Munich. These include eight Bundesliga titles, the Champions League, the Super Cup and the Club World Cup.

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Despite the 35 year-old expecting to leave Bayern at the end of this season, his career may not be over. He is on the verge of winning a ninth Bundesliga title and will still attract interest from many clubs in Europe.