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French Judge Clears Book That Referred to Franck Ribery as 'Scum' and 'Scarface'

A controversial book that referred to French footballer Franck Ribery as "scum," "scarface" and "gangster" has been cleared by a Paris court, reports the Guardian.

Daniel Riolo's 2013 book Racaille Football Club (Scum Football Club) took aim at the Bayern Munich midfielder's role in discontent within the French squad at the 2010 World Cup, where the team were sent packing early after failing to advance from their group.

In 2009, Ribery and Real Madrid's Karim Benzema accused of having sex with an underage prostitute, an incident that overshadowed France's preparations for the tournament in South Africa.