[1] He earned the sobriquet of "Black Pearl" and is considered one of the greatest football players of his time.

The first African star and the first to bear the nickname of "Black Pearl," Ben Barek blazed a trail to the European, and particularly French and Spanish, leagues for African-born players.

He arrived in Marseille, France, at the age of 20 and became an instant favorite with fans for his skills and technical abilities.

His career was interrupted by the onset of World War II, but he was soon back to his best with Stade Français FC, eventually moving on to Spain with Atlético Madrid, where his international reputation spread.

His comeback in 1954 against Germany in Hanover was curtailed by an injury after half an hour and proved to be the end of his career.