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#3 Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich and France)
The Frenchman enjoyed a dream 2012-13 season, where he scored 16 goals in all competitions and garnered 29 assists along the way as well. The 2012-13 season was also a decorated season for his club, Bayern Munich, as they waltzed past everyone to a historic treble.
Throughout the season, Ribery was simply magnificent. Though his numbers paled in comparison to those produced by Messi and Ronaldo, he was much more influential than the numbers suggested. Ribery was a menace for defenders and was a complete team man. The Frenchman wasn’t afraid to carry out his defensive duties and lent his contribution to Bayern’s successes.
The 2012-13 season was probably the best in Ribery’s career. He stayed injury-free and performed to the best of his abilities. He was duly awarded the UEFA Best Player in Europe award yet he missed out on the Ballon d’Or that year.
In the end, the raw statistics of Messi and Ronaldo found more favour than the overall contribution of Ribery on the pitch. Unfortunately, Ribery who looked a real contender to break the duopoly, ended up empty-handed.
Hence, he makes it on to our list at No.3.
