Franck Ribéry

[coura]

By this logic Iniesta didn't deserve the award last year either.

Of course not.

Yes. Messi carried Barcelona all the way in the CL. Totally.
Come on, guys. You flopped hard in the CL (so did we but that's not the point). Scoring goals isn't what this award is about (if so Ronaldo should have won it then - 12 goals in 12 matches? Sounds pretty good to me). He won the CL, did well ALL season long and deserves this award.

This is not the CL award..do you know that by now? jeez...check google

Actually, the podium of the Ballon D'Or 2013 should be 3x Bayern players, Messi should take a break and Ronaldo doesn't even have cash for Monte-Carlo plane tickets.

 

[suckabov]

In terms of being compared with Messi and CR7, a Bayern fan once told me "If Ribery didn't have to defend at all like Messi doesn't; if all Ribery does is waiting for the ball to be fed to him and dribble past the defenders; if Bayern had been built around him and other Bayern players always choose to pass the ball to him; Ribery would have been equally successful as Messi". Any truth to that, you think?

No. These things about Messi aren't even true. And even if they were, Ribery wouldn't be the player Messi is.

 

[Luftstalag14]

No. These things about Messi aren't even true. And even if they were, Ribery wouldn't be the player Messi is.

I actually think those have some truth to it, for example Messi never ever helps out with the defense, he spends almost the whole game in our opponent's half. And our team is somewhat built around Messi, and our players, willingly or unwillingly, do tend to give the ball to Messi a lot.

That said, I still don't think Ribery would have been equally successful as that Bayern fan claimed, simply because Ribery is not as talented as Messi is, not even close. Talent wise Ribery is lagging far behind Messi and CR7. Work-rate wise him and CR7 are leaps and bounds ahead of Messi though.

 

[Stric]

I think their logic was they had to pick a Bayern player since they won the treble so they picked him. He is not the most important Bayern player in my opinion (Schweini is), but he had a phenomenal season indeed, he was on the beast mode.

In terms of being compared with Messi and CR7, a Bayern fan once told me "If Ribery didn't have to defend at all like Messi doesn't; if all Ribery does is waiting for the ball to be fed to him and dribble past the defenders; if Bayern had been built around him and other Bayern players always choose to pass the ball to him; Ribery would have been equally successful as Messi". Any truth to that, you think?

Reverse logic. If Ribery was as good as Messi, then the team would be built around him, he'd defend less, etc., not the other way around.

 

[suckabov]

I actually think those have some truth to it, for example Messi never ever helps out with the defense, he spends almost the whole game in our opponent's half. And our team is somewhat built around Messi, and our players, willingly or unwillingly, do tend to give the ball to Messi a lot.

That's a viscous circle. The team is built around Messi because he is the best player in the world. About the defense, may I quote Bayern's coach 'Sepp' Guardiola, "Messi is the best defender in the world". His winning the ball back against Levante... pure genius.

 

[Luftstalag14]

Reverse logic. If Ribery was as good as Messi, then the team would be built around him, he'd defend less, etc., not the other way around.

Perhaps. I have no problem with our team being built around Messi, as long as we have a plan B when he is not playing (minimizing Messidependencia). My only critique with regard to Messi is his work rate. I don't buy that "he mustn't run because he needs to conserve energy" thingy.

By the way Ribery ran 14k today in the Super Cup game.

 

[Luftstalag14]

That's a viscous circle. The team is built around Messi because he is the best player in the world. About the defense, may I quote Bayern's coach 'Sepp' Guardiola, "Messi is the best defender in the world". His winning the ball back against Levante... pure genius.

He is the best defender in the world in the sense that when he has the ball, he is attracting all the opposing players like flies, yes.

Yeah that Levante stunt was absolutely beautiful, magical, beyond words. I wish he could do that more often, I really do. At least do his fair share of the pressing.

 

[coco1247]

This is not the CL award..do you know that by now? jeez...check google

The CL is the biggest and best club competition. And the toughest. So yeah, I know it's not just the CL, but success in the CL sure helps with it.
Saying Ribery doesn't deserve is just mind-boggling tbh...

 

[Papabeef]

The CL is the biggest and best club competition. And the toughest. So yeah, I know it's not just the CL, but success in the CL sure helps with it.
Saying Ribery doesn't deserve is just mind-boggling tbh...

Not picking Bayern as European club of the year would be mind boggling, but in this very same CL that many people are basing their reasoning for Ribery being crowned best, he was far from the best player, Ribery may have been the top Bundes liga player of the year and not by far either.

The guy is a great player no question, but his impact on the massive success of his team is not even close to Messi or Cristiano Impact, ofcourse it all depends on how much you way "TEAM Success" as a factor in "Individual performance"


For Example, Imagine a player who scored 150 goals and 50 assists in one season on a club that won Nothing, vs one who was simply the first target to point a finger at on a team that won all matches (no ties even) in a single season..

Not so far ago, even Bayern didnt know who to praise as the dynamo of their results, then finally they all started to groom Ribery and dropped the Mullers, Robbens, Swhini's, Nuers and Lahms..

 

[darthvader7888]

Definitely did not deserve this award. He won things with his team, but isn't even comparable to Messi and Ronaldo as a footballer. They are miles ahead of anyone in this era and it's not just because of goals, but because of sheer phenomenal overall output and influence on their team. Ribery is a great player, no doubt. However that doesn't make him worthy to be ahead of Messi or CR. Ribery had a great season in terms of assists, dribbles, magical moments, etc. but Messi's goal output is miles beyond the elite average and he was almost level with Ribery in all the other aspects, which easily puts him ahead overall.

THIS

Though I don't mind Ribery winning this award, as long as Messi gets the Ballon d'or.

 

[coco1247]

So we should give this prize every year to either Messi or Ronaldo just because players like Ribery actually play in a well organized, functioning team with players that help each other? Just because these two are generally better players?
I don't get that logic. Just because you have so many good players (who, true, aren't on the same level as Ronaldo or Messi) and they all carry the team's success, doesn't mean you can't pick one outstanding individual. The fact that they have all these players who function so well on the pitch speaks miles about them as a team and as players.
We all know Messi and Ronaldo are better. But you gotta have something to show for it. I'm sorry, but winning La Liga and flopping in the CL, every Clasico and CDR + winning the Supercopa and flopping in the CL, La Liga and that dreadful CDR final can't be called a good season.
You can't give awards to players that are more talented. Winning trophies is what football is about. Scoring goals is great, but come on, neither Messi nor Ronaldo had an outstanding season.
That's just my opinion so please don't crucify me

 

[Cule4life]

So we should give this prize every year to either Messi or Ronaldo just because players like Ribery actually play in a well organized, functioning team with players that help each other? Just because these two are generally better players?
I don't get that logic. Just because you have so many good players (who, true, aren't on the same level as Ronaldo or Messi) and they all carry the team's success, doesn't mean you can't pick one outstanding individual. The fact that they have all these players who function so well on the pitch speaks miles about them as a team and as players.
We all know Messi and Ronaldo are better. But you gotta have something to show for it. I'm sorry, but winning La Liga and flopping in the CL, every Clasico and CDR + winning the Supercopa and flopping in the CL, La Liga and that dreadful CDR final can't be called a good season.
You can't give awards to players that are more talented. Winning trophies is what football is about. Scoring goals is great, but come on, neither Messi nor Ronaldo had an outstanding season.
That's just my opinion so please don't crucify me

There's a best team award for that whereas this award is an individual award. But I have no problem with Ribery winning as long as Messi wins Ballon dor

 

[darthvader7888]

So we should give this prize every year to either Messi or Ronaldo just because players like Ribery actually play in a well organized, functioning team with players that help each other? Just because these two are generally better players?

Yes. It's an individual award. Not a "who played for the best team" award.

 

[Galning]

LOL at people thinking Ribéry isn't as good as Messi only because he has to defend. Hahaha wow.

 

[Luftstalag14]

LOL at people thinking Ribéry isn't as good as Messi only because he has to defend. Hahaha wow.

It is not "only because", it is one of the things that Ribery does that Messi doesn't. That Bayern fan basically argued that if Ribery had conserved energy like Messi does, he would have scored more goals and had more assists, but certainly not as many as Messi did.