Name: Franck Ribery
Age: 27
Club: Bayern Munich
Country: France
International caps: 44
International goals: 7
Ribery started his senior career at Boulogne in 2002, then stopped off at Ales, Stade Bestrois and Metz before Gheorghi Hagi lured him to Turkish side Galatasaray in 2005 for a fee of 2 million euros.
Ribery helped Hagi's men to victory in the Turkish Cup, before making a surprise exit just a year into his three-year contract - returning to France to join Marseille.
It was at the 2006 World Cup that Ribery's star shot into the stratosphere. Having broken into the side in the build-up to the Finals, he started six of seven games as France finished runners-up to Italy.
His stand-out performances as a creative midfielder brought attention from a host of Europe's top club sides, and it was no surprise when he joined Bayern Munich for 25m euros in June 2007.
Ribery helped the German side to a league and cup double in his debut season, and was instrumental in their run to the Champions League final this season - though he missed he defeat to Inter Milan through suspension.
After that letdown, and the disappointment of Euro 2008, where France were knocked out in the group stages and Ribery suffered a bad injury in their final game, the man they call 'Scarface' will have a point to prove in South Africa.
50 Players to Watch - The complete list
Source: DSG
