"Ronaldo on the other hand did not win anything" - When Franck Ribery claimed he should have won the Ballon d'Or over Cristiano Ronaldo
Back in 2014, Franck Ribery slammed the outcome of the 2013 FIFA Ballon d'Or, claiming he should've won it over Cristiano Ronaldo. The FIFA Ballon d'Or 2013 is widely considered one of the most controversial years in the award's history, with many feeling that Franck Ribery was 'robbed'.
The Frenchman had one of the best years of his career in 2013 after winning the historic treble with Bayern Munich. He scored 34 goals in all competitions and also provided the assist to Arjen Robben that helped the Bavarians win the UCL final. Ribery also scored in the UEFA Super Cup final, helping Bayern win against Chelsea.
In comparison, Cristiano Ronaldo won no silverware that season. However, he scored a staggering 66 goals in 56 games. Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or after five years with 27.99% votes. Lionel Messi (24.72%) and Franck Ribery (23.36%) came in second and third, respectively.
Ribery opened up about his frustration in an interview with AZ and said (via GOAL):
"I won everything I could win with Bayern and individually. Ronaldo on the other hand did not win anything. I am not sad that I missed out, but it does hurt a bit. I deserved to win the Ballon d'Or."
The Frenchman went on to criticize the extension of voting deadlines that year, calling it a 'political decision'. He added:
"It was clear that Ronaldo would win it. The voting deadline was extended by two weeks. This had never happened before. It wasn't about football. It was a political decision."
The voting deadline for the 2013 Ballon d'Or was initially till November 15 but was extended by two weeks for the first time in history due to a lack of 'eligible voters.'
Cristiano Ronaldo had a spectacular World Cup qualification game against Sweden, where he scored a hat-trick against Zlatan Ibrahimovic's side. Many alleged that this game tipped the scales in his favor. UEFA President Michel Platini asserted that FIFA did it to 'please' Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ribery also criticized the FifPro World XI for including just three Bayern Munich players despite the Bavarians winning the treble that year.
The Frenchman retired in October 2022 after scoring 151 goals and 224 assists in 632 appearances in club football.
Cristiano Ronaldo honored with special award during UEFA Champions League 2024-25 draw
Cristiano Ronaldo was one of the chief guests at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco during the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League draw on August 29. The Portuguese added another feather to his cap as he was felicitated for being the highest scorer in Champions League history.
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 140 goals in 183 appearances in the Champions League, 11 goals clear of second-placed Lionel Messi and 46 ahead of Robert Lewandowski. He has also recorded 48 assists in those games - the highest by a single player in history. These stats add up to a goal contribution once every 88.1 minutes in the UCL.
"For me, it is a pleasure to be here. Thank you for this amazing award," said Ronaldo after receiving the honor. "As you know, the Champions League is the highest in football. The records speak for themselves but the league [is at that level] because of the players that play in the competition."
The Portuguese will next be in action on September 13 when Al-Nassr faces Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League.