Franck Ribéry still claims the 2013 Ballon d'Or

Twelve years later, the wound remains open. Franck Ribéry, the Bayern Munich legend, still believes he deserved the 2013 Ballon d'Or. That season, the French winger swept everything with the Bavarian club: Bundesliga, German Cup, and most importantly, the Champions League. A historic treble that, according to him, should have tipped the scales in his favor.

Yet, the trophy went to Cristiano Ronaldo, who had a statistically impressive year but without a major title. Lionel Messi finished second. Ribéry had to settle for third place with 23.36% of the votes, compared to 27.99% for the Portuguese:

It was a perfect year for me; I couldn't have done better, and from my point of view, it will forever remain a huge injustice. I'm still looking for an explanation, and I will never understand why the voting deadline was extended by two weeks. Messi and Ronaldo showed me immense respect, as they knew at that time I was sitting at their table. With all due respect to them, in 2013, I had nothing to envy them

Despite this disappointment, Franck Ribéry remains an iconic figure in European football, with 425 matches played in the Munich jersey, 124 goals, and 182 assists. An impressive record that commands admiration and respect, even without the Ballon d'Or.

Aliou Toundé |

Editorfr