Before his entry on the field, it is not uncommon to see Ribery pray. His wife is Muslim, he himself has chosen Islam as religion and they have two daughters (Hiziya and Shahin). He moreover said: "It is Islam that gives me strength on the field outside"
In January 2009, the French international that plays for Bayern Munich, Franck Ribéry, a Muslim soccer player, visited to Mecca to perform Umrah during an internship in Saudi Arabia. After playing the first half of the friendly match in Jeddah, Franck Ribery and his teammate Hamid Altintop have traveled to Mecca, 70 km. Then they returned to the hotel at night to join the rest of their team of Bayern Munich in order to continue preparing for the Bundesliga.
The German press has asked him how he reconciled the observance of Ramadan and its obligations in the Bundesliga. "The days off I am fasting, but not when I have to play a game," said Ribery, who adopted the Islamic name Bilal Mohammed Yusuf.
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