Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery has once again spoken about not winning the 2013 Ballon d'Or, saying he felt "disgusted" after losing out to Cristiano Ronaldo.
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With Ribery finishing in third spot behind Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the ranking for the prestigious prize that year, the French winger has now once again reiterated that he felt he had done everything possible to lift the coveted individual accolade after playing a major role in Bayern's treble-winning 2012/13 campaign.
"I saw myself as the Ballon d'Or. It's the truth," Ribery recently told L'Equipe.
"Even today, I think I deserved it. I still haven't digested it. I did everything to have it. I ticked all the boxes. I won all I could win with Bayern. I couldn't do better! I did a very, very, very big personal year.
"I had nothing to envy Ronaldo or Messi for, that year. I really took a big hit on the head. I experienced this third place as a terrible injustice. I asked the question 10 000 times: why not me? The more I thought, the more I was disgusted. All was not clear."
Ribery won the UEFA Champions League, the German Cup and the Bundesliga in 2012/13, before adding the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World to round up a perfect year.
However, the Frenchman also insisted that some football personalities from his home country would not have been happy for him to lift the Golden Ball.
"For the Ballon d'Or, for example, there are teammates and people who have power in French football who have not been in solidarity with me," he added.
"I felt that these people wouldn't have been happy if I was Ballon d'Or."
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The 2013 Ballon d'Or, which was handed out in collaboration with FIFA at the time, was Ronaldo's second Golden Ball, and he has since added another three to his personal trophy cabinet.
Do you think Ribery deserved to beat Ronaldo to the 2013 Ballon d'Or? Have your say in the comments section below.
