The Ballon d’Or is an award reserved for the best of the best. Recently, no competitor has emerged against Lionel Messi and his fellow Barca stars. This year, every Bayern player nominated has a chance to win it considering their feats of the past season.
Franck Ribery in particular feels he should win the award. This is what he had to say:
“I think I’ve done everything to be the world’s best player. I’ve played a very, very good season. It’s either now or never for winning this prize. I can’t play any better than this.”
Do the stats and the performances back Ribery up? Personally, this was Franck Ribery’s best ever season as a Bayern player. In the 2012-13 season, Ribery scored 10 goals in the Bundesliga in just 27 appearances, improving his record percentage-wise slightly from the previous season, in which he scored 12 in 32 appearances. He provided 14 assists, six less from the previous season.
What these stats do not tell us is that Ribery was a better all-round performer in the past season than he was in 2011-12. This is because his goals and assists were all extremely vital to Bayern’s title challenge. He worked extremely hard defensively and more often than not provided an assist to an assist for a goal, a stat which is not recorded of course.
The Frenchman did not score in the DFB Pokal but provided two extremely crucial assists in his three appearances in the competition. He struck only once in the Champions League but provided five assists, making him one of the highest assist-makers in Europe’s most prestigious competition. Who can forget just how much of a part he played in the two goals in the Champions League finale which won Bayern the competition?
Ribery did stand out more in the 2011-12 season than he did in 2012-13 season. This however was down to the fact that every member of his team had a brilliant season in 2012-13. The work rate of Ribery however did not go unnoticed. He initiated many a counterattack this season.
Ribery does indeed deserve the Ballon d’Or. However, his teammates deserve the award as much as he does. He cannot play better than last season as he clearly stated. Nonetheless, Bayern’s success was not solely down to him. This award at the end of the day does go the individual who carried his team throughout a season to trophies.
The media is responsible in handing out this award as it is journalists who choose the winner. Bayern players are considered unfashionable. Also, players like Thomas Müller attract more hype than hardworking and brilliant wingers like Franck Ribery. Media hype could very well see Ribery taken out of the reckoning for this award.
Do you feel Franck Ribery deserves it? Let us know your thoughts!
“I think I’ve done everything to be the world’s best player. I’ve played a very, very good season. It’s either now or never for winning this prize. I can’t play any better than this.”
Do the stats and the performances back Ribery up? Personally, this was Franck Ribery’s best ever season as a Bayern player. In the 2012-13 season, Ribery scored 10 goals in the Bundesliga in just 27 appearances, improving his record percentage-wise slightly from the previous season, in which he scored 12 in 32 appearances. He provided 14 assists, six less from the previous season.
What these stats do not tell us is that Ribery was a better all-round performer in the past season than he was in 2011-12. This is because his goals and assists were all extremely vital to Bayern’s title challenge. He worked extremely hard defensively and more often than not provided an assist to an assist for a goal, a stat which is not recorded of course.
The Frenchman did not score in the DFB Pokal but provided two extremely crucial assists in his three appearances in the competition. He struck only once in the Champions League but provided five assists, making him one of the highest assist-makers in Europe’s most prestigious competition. Who can forget just how much of a part he played in the two goals in the Champions League finale which won Bayern the competition?
Ribery did stand out more in the 2011-12 season than he did in 2012-13 season. This however was down to the fact that every member of his team had a brilliant season in 2012-13. The work rate of Ribery however did not go unnoticed. He initiated many a counterattack this season.
Ribery does indeed deserve the Ballon d’Or. However, his teammates deserve the award as much as he does. He cannot play better than last season as he clearly stated. Nonetheless, Bayern’s success was not solely down to him. This award at the end of the day does go the individual who carried his team throughout a season to trophies.
The media is responsible in handing out this award as it is journalists who choose the winner. Bayern players are considered unfashionable. Also, players like Thomas Müller attract more hype than hardworking and brilliant wingers like Franck Ribery. Media hype could very well see Ribery taken out of the reckoning for this award.
Do you feel Franck Ribery deserves it? Let us know your thoughts!
