Why Zidane is right to say Franck Ribery deserves the Ballon D’Or

Asked who deserved the Ballon d’Or between Cristiano Ronaldo and Franck Ribery in a recent interview in Abu Dhabi with newspaper AS, Real Madrid assistant coach Zinedine Zidane replied: “They both deserve it. But I would give it to Franck because he played a fundamental role in the three major trophies that Bayern Munich won last season.”

Given it’s one Frenchman supporting another, one could be tempted to promptly dismiss Zidane’s opinion as mere bias. But he has a point. Ribery may not have scored 46 league goals last season like Lionel Messi or even 34 like Ronaldo, but he was indeed key as his club marched to a historic treble last season.

A wide playmaker, his vision, trickery, and determination are key facets of his game, facets that helped him be the club’s highest-rated player last season, having earned a Performance Score of 1,914 points.

Ribery chart 2012/2013: Pitch View of Total Chances Created

The 86 chances he created last season, an average of 3.2 per game, was the most at the club and the second-highest in the Bundesliga behind Max Kruse (91), then at Freiburg. Of those created chances 14 were assists, which was the most recorded, not only at the club, but in the league.

Franck Ribery’s Bundesliga goals last season

He also contributed eleven goals across the Bundesliga and the Champions League. The placement of his strikes epitomises the level of his technical quality–all of them fired expertly into the corners of the goalmouth. The fact that he is two-footed was evident as well, with five strikes coming off his left foot and the remaining six off his dominant right foot. He has proven himself to be a player who can not only create goals, but score them too.

Fouled an average of just over twice per game in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League, defenders are very much aware of just how dangerous the 30-year-old is on the left flank. But what is also outstanding about the Frenchman is that while he is so focused on influencing the attack, he remains mindful of his defensive obligations, acting like a terrier when not in possession, snapping at the heels of his opponents, attempting an average of over one tackle per game in both the league and the Champions League last season. He committed an average of over one foul per game in both competitions, but his flaming desire to win the ball back was abundantly clear.

Nothing fazes him, it seems. He proved to be a man for the big occasion last season, displaying the sort of mentality that defines a top drawer player. His performances overall reflected as much, and are well worthy of the UEFA Best Player in Europe award he won back in September, an award he beat Ronaldo and Messi to.

“To be elected the best player ahead of Messi and Ronaldo, that’s amazing,” he said at the time. “It’s true that I’m really enjoying myself right now. This award is a plus for me in a sporting sense, it gives me confidence. Perhaps it puts more pressure on me, but I manage to handle that sort of situation well. I mustn’t get carried away. It’s up to me to keep working, enjoy myself, and help my team, be it Bayern or France.”

Keeping his head down, working, and just enjoying his football is what got him this far. The Ballon d’Or would be a just reward for his commitment and outstanding contribution to what is an extremely talented Bayern Munich team. This award goes to the season’s best performer, not merely the season’s top scorer. Given what Ribery did to help Bayern to their treble, he has made a very strong case as to why he should win it.

Football graphics and stats from Squawka.