Cristiano Ronaldo stole my award – Franck Ribery
France forward, Franck Ribery has claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo stole his Ballon d’Or in 2013.
According to the Bayern Munich star, it is “incomprehensible” that Ronaldo picked up the prize that season after he (Ribery) had enjoyed such a formidable season with the Bundesliga club.
The winger led Bayern to domestic glory and played a leading role as they snatched the Champions League with a 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.
But Ribery’s contribution was overlooked for that of Ronaldo. Indeed, he did not even finish second, with Lionel Messi pipping him for that spot.
He told Canal Football Club, “It was as if it was stolen from me. It’s incomprehensible. I won every trophy, I couldn’t have done more. It was an injustice.”
The forward said that he did not have the support of his compatriots.
“I didn’t have my country behind me,” he claimed. “I saw it with my own eyes that the French said Cristiano should win. Did the Portuguese want it to be Ribery or Messi? Of course not.”
Ribery also claimed that he was made a scapegoat after France’s poor World Cup 2010 campaign, in which Raymond Domenech’s side crashed out at the group stage.
“In 2010, they needed someone to blame. Everyone in France believed I was the problem – even my parents.
“I can’t forget the actions of certain French media. It’s a scar that stays with me, it was too much.”