Franck Ribery has returned to Bayern Munich training after a "very important" period of rehabilitation some six weeks after a back injury ended his hopes of playing in the 2014 World Cup.
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The 30-year-old France international was forced out of the running for Didier Deschamps' squad only days before the team departed to Brazil.
And while Les Bleus progressed to the quarterfinals, where they beaten by eventual World Cup winners Germany, Ribery was busy working on a return to full fitness.
During Ribery's holidays, Bayern rehab coach Thomas Wilhelmi and physio Helmut Erhard made sure that the 2013 European Footballer of the Year will return to training in time.
Welcome back, Franck! #Ribéry is completing a fitness course at Säbener Straße. pic.twitter.com/DDwT0znILQ
- FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) July 15, 2014
"Thanks to both of them and to FC Bayern," Ribery was quoted by the official club website. "It was really well organised. We had a very good time and that was very important to me."
On Monday, Ribery returned to Munich, and on Tuesday was out on the training pitch and worked with the new Bayern fitness coach Holger Broich.
"I am happy to be back," Ribery said. The 30-year-old confirmed he now wants to "train a lot and have a good preseason with the team."
The winger -- who will continue to work on an individual basis for some time -- also expressed his delight for seven of his club teammates, who won the World Cup.
"I'm so, so happy for my teammates, for the whole Germany team and for all the people involved," he added. "The moment Philipp [Lahm] lifted the trophy in the air was brilliant!"