Europe: European Championship
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M. Hummels (20)
By Peter Weis@PeterVicey

Ribery praises Thomas Müller in France-Germany preview column: "His return is a godsend for Germany."

In a column written for the Monday print edition of German footballing magazine Kicker, former Bayern star Franck Ribery admitted he's off two minds ahead of the German national team's Euro opener on Tuesday. 

The 38-year-old also praised former teammate Thomas Müller in the highest terms. 
Franck Ribery.
Franck Ribery.Photo: Sven Mandel / CC-BY-SA-4.0
Having spent twelve long years playing for the German record champions in the Bundesrepublik, French legend Franck Ribery conceded that he maintains dual loyalties ahead of Tuesday's highly anticipated European Championship clash. 



"Two hearts beat in my chest," Ribery wrote, "I love Germany through my twelve years at Bayern, but I am and remain French. That's why I would prefer a 0-0 draw. Okay, let's say a 1-1 so that fans can see some goals too. Maybe a 5-5."

In addition to offering some tactical advice and expressing great joy that his former Tricolore friend and teammate Karim Benzema had been recalled to the national team, Ribery offered up words of praise for old FCB colleague Thomas Müller. 

"For me, no player embodies German football as much as Müller does," Ribery noted, "Thomas is important for the image of this team. He's won so many titles at the highest level, brings with him a huge wealth of experience, can lead his fellows, and is always a positive guy. His return is well deserved and an absolute godsend for Germany."

Kicker's online website notes that the column, available digitally on Sunday evening and at the newsstands on Monday morning, also contains Ribery's thoughts on Bayern wingers Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman, and Leroy Sané. The current Fiorentina man is said to discuss his plans for the future in a separate piece. 

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