For many FC Bayern fans, the 2013 Ballon d’Or vote remains one of the biggest disappointments in the club’s recent history. Franck Ribéry had an outstanding season back then, winning the treble with the Munich team—and yet he was still beaten by Cristiano Ronaldo in the World Player of the Year vote.
Even 13 years later, Ribéry is still haunted by that decision. At the Festival dello Sport in Trento, the Frenchman spoke openly about how much missing out on the Ballon d’Or affected him.
“I was the best player in the Bundesliga and in Europe,” the Bayern legend told *Gazzetta dello Sport*.
Bayern legend still harbors regrets
Ribéry looked back on an extraordinary season in 2013. Under Jupp Heynckes, FC Bayern won the Bundesliga, the DFB-Pokal, and the Champions League for the first time since 2001. Ribéry was one of the defining figures of the treble-winning team.
Consequently, the Frenchman had high hopes for the Ballon d’Or. In the end, however, he finished third in the voting, behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
“Maybe I would have deserved the Ballon d’Or. Not winning it hurt me. It was a disappointment,” Ribéry now admitted.
The outcome of that vote obviously still bothers him. For Ribéry, it’s primarily about the overall package of individual performances and team success that he delivered in 2013.
“What more could I have done?”
Ribéry makes no attempt to hide the fact that the decision still bothers him to this day. “I have absolutely no problem admitting that. It was a magical season; I won everything and put in outstanding performances for both FC Bayern and the national team.”
The former winger then posed a question that sums up his disappointment: “What more could I have done?”
In the end, Ronaldo came out on top in the voting. The Portuguese player received 27.99 percent of the votes, while Messi garnered 24.72 percent. Despite his treble, Ribéry finished third with 23.36 percent.
For the Frenchman, this meant that, ironically, in his most successful year, he missed out on the highest individual honor. Although Ribéry was also personally honored in 2013 with the UEFA European Footballer of the Year award, the Ballon d’Or eluded him throughout his career.
Thirteen years later, it’s clear that the Bayern legend still hasn’t fully come to terms with that defeat.