After a highly successful 2012/2013 campaign for Bayern Munich, Franck Ribery has taken the Ronaldo route in a bid to win the Ballon D’Or this year
While giving an interview to German Bundesliga’s official website, France international, Franck Ribery became the latest addition to a small group of individuals who are officially obsessed with landing the prestigious Ballon D’Or.
“I think that I’ve done everything to be the world’s best player,” said the Bayern Munich star.
The 2012/2013 season has been a phenomenal one for the winger. Under the tutelage of Jupp Heynckes, the Bavarians won the domestic league, the DFB Pokal and then finally lifted the Champions League trophy that had eluded them time and time again.
Indeed, Ribery was one of the many star performers for his side’s treble winning campaign and was in the form of his life.
Never before in his career, the France international had won so much and it is very understandable to see the player wanting to be rewarded for his individual efforts. However, the same can be said of many Bayern Munich players. The likes of Arjen Robben, Manuel Neuer, Philippe Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger et al had stellar campaigns too which means that Ribery faces a tough task to land an award that in the past three years, been won by none other than Lionel Messi.
"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,” added the player during that interview.
At the age of 30, Ribery is intelligent enough to admit that he might never be in such a position to win an individual award in the future. Indeed Ribery was a man on a mission throughout the last season but just having a great season might not be enough to land the award, something that Cristiano Ronaldo will admit to as well.
The Portuguese ace, in 2011 and 2012 said that he deserved to win the award and even went on to say that he will vote for himself. That resulted in the Real Madrid man being crucified by the press and many fans of the game. Since then, the Portugal international has found it really hard to discard the tag of a self-obsessed individual.
Now that Ribery has come out and said that he deserves to land the Ballon D’Or, it would be quite interesting to see how fans react. However, the case might not be the same as the France international’s image in France and abroad has improved quite a lot these past few months. One could smell a hint of despair in the Frenchman’s comments as well. The player seems to be quite obsessed to win the award before he hangs up his boots. Another thing that should be noted is that Ribery never stated that he would vote for himself.
However, many great players of the current era have not come even close to winning the award. Regardless of their endeavours both at club and international level, Xavi and Iniesta failed to win the award.
Moreover, self-campaigning is definitely not the right way to go about it by any means. Ronaldo has been doing that ever since he arrived in Spain and it has not really helped him. Though he might be named in the awards list later this year, Ribery has to realise and might already does that he will have to compete with a few of his club mates for the award, players who have been equally as good as him these past few months.
This year’s Ballon D’Or is definitely going to be a more competitive one and Ribery’s job is surely not over as what he does next season, could also be taken into account and stating that he has done as well as he could, is not the kind of mentality that wins you such prestigious awards.
“I think that I’ve done everything to be the world’s best player,” said the Bayern Munich star.
The 2012/2013 season has been a phenomenal one for the winger. Under the tutelage of Jupp Heynckes, the Bavarians won the domestic league, the DFB Pokal and then finally lifted the Champions League trophy that had eluded them time and time again.
Indeed, Ribery was one of the many star performers for his side’s treble winning campaign and was in the form of his life.
Never before in his career, the France international had won so much and it is very understandable to see the player wanting to be rewarded for his individual efforts. However, the same can be said of many Bayern Munich players. The likes of Arjen Robben, Manuel Neuer, Philippe Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger et al had stellar campaigns too which means that Ribery faces a tough task to land an award that in the past three years, been won by none other than Lionel Messi.
"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,” added the player during that interview.
At the age of 30, Ribery is intelligent enough to admit that he might never be in such a position to win an individual award in the future. Indeed Ribery was a man on a mission throughout the last season but just having a great season might not be enough to land the award, something that Cristiano Ronaldo will admit to as well.
The Portuguese ace, in 2011 and 2012 said that he deserved to win the award and even went on to say that he will vote for himself. That resulted in the Real Madrid man being crucified by the press and many fans of the game. Since then, the Portugal international has found it really hard to discard the tag of a self-obsessed individual.
Now that Ribery has come out and said that he deserves to land the Ballon D’Or, it would be quite interesting to see how fans react. However, the case might not be the same as the France international’s image in France and abroad has improved quite a lot these past few months. One could smell a hint of despair in the Frenchman’s comments as well. The player seems to be quite obsessed to win the award before he hangs up his boots. Another thing that should be noted is that Ribery never stated that he would vote for himself.
However, many great players of the current era have not come even close to winning the award. Regardless of their endeavours both at club and international level, Xavi and Iniesta failed to win the award.
Moreover, self-campaigning is definitely not the right way to go about it by any means. Ronaldo has been doing that ever since he arrived in Spain and it has not really helped him. Though he might be named in the awards list later this year, Ribery has to realise and might already does that he will have to compete with a few of his club mates for the award, players who have been equally as good as him these past few months.
This year’s Ballon D’Or is definitely going to be a more competitive one and Ribery’s job is surely not over as what he does next season, could also be taken into account and stating that he has done as well as he could, is not the kind of mentality that wins you such prestigious awards.
