Nearly six years have passed since Franck Ribery finished third in the Ballon d'Or rating but the Frenchman is still angry over not winning the award.
Ribery had a sensational year at club level in 2013, notching 22 goals and 18 assists that as Bayern Munich won the Bundesliga, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, German Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
However, it was not enough for him to steer away of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. After scoring 66 times, Ronaldo garnered 27.99% of the votes to win the prize, while Messi got 24.72% and Ribery got 23.36%.
"More than a disappointment. It's the biggest injustice of my career," he told L'Equipe.
"Not only for me, for many people. I was on top and I finished 3rd."
"I had nothing to envy Ronaldo or Messi that year. I say it in all humility because it is the truth."
This isn't the first time Ribery has embarked on an outburst over the decision. Earlier this year he said he was "disgusted" over not winning and that he still hadn't "digested" it.
lumaceiotz
624
Yes ribery was robbed of the ballondor that year. Messi and ronaldo had more goals but he won the treble and he was involved in 40 goals bayern scored that year... how he still didn't win the ballondor will forever be a mystery.
BarcaBoy12
464
He didnt win it because at that time ballon d or was an individual award... it didnt matter how many trophies ur team wins....the individual performance mattered and 22 goals and 18 assists comes nowhere close to scoring 60 goals in a year which ronaldo did...
Mosanya
309
To me I will have time agree with ribery, that was robbery in the 2013 Balon dor, he supposed to have won it, he won treble with Bayern, he was the highest goal scorer of france at that time, but the main problem is that Messi and Ronaldo had fans who will support them, and ribery didn't have much, maybe because he is not at the level of Ronaldo or Messi, he should have won it at least, it was unfair....Not because am a fan of him but because 2013 was his year, but that's football anything can happen, good luck ribery
Sharkie
291
At least he made it to top 3. In 2010, Sneijder won the treble with Inter Milan and made it to the World Cup final but he was fourth in the balon d’or rankings😔😔 Ribery stop complaining because you are not the only one who lost the award due to favouritism
⚽CR7FOREVER⚽
84
He didnt win it because at that time ballon d or was an individual award... it didnt matter how many trophies ur team wins....the individual performance mattered and 22 goals and 18 assists comes nowhere close to scoring 60 goals in a year which ronaldo did...why people started judging ballon d'or based on trophies because for last 10years both Ronaldo and Messi score 40+ goals every season and it's become hard to tell who deserves it so people starts giving their opinion who won more trophies..last year Ronaldo or Messi deserves it but modric was named ballon d'or based on the team performance..
Mohammadshakeel
65
22 goals and 18 assists and ronaldo 66 goals, who deserved it now. barca fans would say that ribery deserves it because of ucl that van dijk deserves it because of ucl, but messi would win it, ucl isn't everything, it's a team trophy0
Terrificngo
48
Yes people might argue that at the time it was an individual award,the fact is those 22 goals and 18 assists were instrumental to those trophies he won with the team.I believe people were so blinded with the competition between two great players that they overlooked Ribery's archievements that year.But again one fact remains,behind the scenes the voting of fans does not exist,a few individuals sit and come out with these figured and percentages to deceive football lovers.
Longlife2000
47
1 - Top Scorer in Europe 2 - Top scorer in champions league 3 - Top scorer in Laliga 4 - Top Assists 5 - European Golden Shoe 6 - Laliga Santander Trophy 7 - Spanish Super cup 8 - Champions league Goal of the Tournament 9 - Player of the season in laliga 10 - Van Dijk said "Messi deserves it because he is the best player in the world" We have only #King_Leo_MESSI 💪💪💪💪💪
jiuacdin
39
that's why we always say Balon d'or is an individual performance not winning trophies you can't score 22 goals and want to compare with someone who has 60 goals so all those who are supporting the fact that VVD is the favorite for Balon d'or this year should open their eyes and see facts
dennisachafu
37
2013 and 2010 were the years people lost interest in FIFA awards. They made people to believe that the award is politics and not merit.In 2010, Iniesta won everything, scored four goals in the world cup including the winning goal in the final but the award was given to messi. In 2013, Ribery won everything with high magin of goals and assist and was even given the Balloon d or by uefa only to be denied by FIFA in the final award. The award I knew from the onset ,is given to a player who is very influential in team success and not a player who score goals out of selfishness while his team lost out in turnaments. The likes of Canavaro, Zidane, Rivaldo, Kaka, Ronadinho and even Luka Modric didn't score more goals than their forward counterparts but they won it because of the huge roles they played in their teams successes. Whoever said that "Balloon d or" is all about goals does not appreciate the work of a midfielder or defender. I see a lot of double standards in FIFA awards.
GoitomAbraham
36
Lione Messi vs C. Ronaldo head to head in laliga 🔵🔴 lionel Messi 🇦🇷🐐 PlayerClasico Games 38 Goals 26 ⚽️🔝 Assists 14👟🔝 Chances created 68🔝 Cristiano Ronaldo⬇️🐐 player Clasico 30 Goals 18 ⚽️ Assists 1⬇️⛸ chances created 15⬇️
AndreSmart
34
Yeah He was Robbed but what of Andres Iniesta that won the Treble, was a part of the Midfield in Barcelona and scored the winning goal in 2010 World Cup Finals which should have made him win Ballon d'or has he complained about it
Uncle_Dimeji
13
He didnt win it because at that time ballon d or was an individual award... it didnt matter how many trophies ur team wins....the individual performance mattered and 22 goals and 18 assists comes nowhere close to scoring 60 goals in a year which ronaldo did...
But Messi has had more goals and assists plus he played better in the last 3 years but Ronaldo won all 3 because Madrid won UCL so what’s the excuse that Ribery shouldn’t have won it??
Fabbiknorz
8
He didnt win it because at that time ballon d or was an individual award... it didnt matter how many trophies ur team wins....the individual performance mattered and 22 goals and 18 assists comes nowhere close to scoring 60 goals in a year which ronaldo did...
get out u fool cr7 fan he stole d ballon dor