Franck Ribery Slams Cristiano Ronaldo and Ballon d'Or Politics

Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery has launched a stinging attack on the FIFA Ballon d'Or award and 2013 winner Cristiano Ronaldo, believing the decision regarding the winner to be "politics."

Ribery, who came third in the 2013 voting behind both Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, pointed to team-mates Manuel Neuer and Arjen Robben as the best candidates for success in 2014; however, he believes neither will be given a chance of success.

According to Goal.com's Stefan Coerts, Ribery told German paper Bild:

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I learned a lot during last year's Ballon d'Or gala. As soon as I got there, I told my wife that I would lose. I saw how Sepp Blatter was hugging Ronaldo and how his entire family was there. I'm not stupid. It was clear that he had to win it. He wouldn't have brought his entire family with him otherwise.

It will be the same this year. What can I say about it? Manuel Neuer or Arjen Robben should win it. You can't disagree with this. Manu has won it all, he is a great guy and he isn't arrogant. Arjen has played an incredible season in the Bundesliga and then a fantastic World Cup.

But I fear it will be about politics again. The Ballon d'Or is no longer for the best player. It's all about politics. Fabio Cannavaro won it in 2006 because he won the World Cup, that's all. I don't miss the Ballon d'Or. I am not jealous because this award doesn't mean anything to me any more. I am happy with what I have in Munich.

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Ribery's decision to comment on Neuer's lack of arrogance will also raise eyebrows, with many choosing to take the comment as a barb at rival Ronaldo—often criticised for his overly self-confident manner.

However, Ribery's decision to only consider two of his team-mates as contenders for the award will mean his comments are seen as biased towards his friends rather than what could have been legitimate comment on an award which has lost credibility.

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

While it is difficult to argue with Ronaldo's success last year, or his likely triumph this year, there are major questions to be raised over the voting process which sees national team captains, coaches and a representative of each nation's media vote.

Following the 2013 result, the sixth year in a row in which either Ronaldo or Messi had been successful, ESPN FC reported that UEFA president Michel Platini was among those concerned at the direction the award was heading, in quotes to L’Equipe 21 TV.

This year, Platini has suggested a World Cup winner should earn the top prize:

While the Ballon d'Or is supposed to reward the best performer of the past 12 months, it is now widely seen as a vote for the world's "best" player and has become somewhat of a personality contest.

Ribery's decision to aim a dig at Ronaldo, coming just days after Neuer aimed a similar barb at Ronaldo over his modelling, as reported by German outlet Kicker (via Jonny Singer of the Mail Online), only adds to the lack of validity in his arguments.

Ivan Sekretarev/Associated Press/Associated Press

Rather than coming across as a reasoned comment on a deeply flawed award, Ribery's words rather appear to be those of a man bitter at his failure to land the top prize last year.

As Ronaldo keeps breaking records with his sensational scoring thus far this La Liga season, to add to his major role in Real Madrid's Champions League success in May, it is difficult to look past the Portuguese for success come this year's ceremony.