Ribéry vs Cristiano Ronaldo: VIRAL dart for the 2013 Ballon d'Or

The preview of the Nations League final between Spain and Portugal left something more than praise for Lamine Yamal. Cristiano Ronaldo, in a critical tone, questioned the current criteria of the Ballon d'Or, pointing out that "it should be won by whoever conquers the Champions League". A statement that ignited the networks and reopened old wounds.

Franck Ribéry, legend of Bayern Munich and great favorite for the Ballon d'Or in 2013 after winning the treble, was quick to respond. With sarcasm and selective memory, he recalled that that year the award went to a Cristiano Ronaldo without titles. The networks did the rest.

Ribéry revives the controversy of the 2013 Ballon d'Or

With a single sentence and a virtual laugh, Franck Ribéry reopened a debate that seemed buried under layers of trophies and years. The Frenchman ignited social networks with a message in the form of a reminder, accompanied by laughing icons that showed his incredulity.

Ribéry: "So you need to win the Champions League to win the Ballon d'Or?"

The answer was not accidental. In 2013, Ribéry led Bayern Munich to a historic treble: Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League. In addition, he was awarded the Best Player in Europe award by UEFA.

However, in the final vote of the Ballon d'Or, he finished third, surpassed by Messi and a Cristiano Ronaldo who, paradoxically, did not win any title that year.

The eternal debate about the criteria of the Ballon d'Or

Cristiano's statements, in which he asked for "coherence" and advocated rewarding collective success in the election of the Ballon d'Or, clash with his personal victory in 2013. Ribéry, still hurt, has reiterated on more than one occasion that he felt that trophy "was stolen from him".

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The episode underlines the subjectivity of the most prestigious individual award in football and once again calls into question the voting criteria. In times where marketing and narrative weigh as much as titles, Ribéry's irony is not only personal: it is football politics.