فرانك ريبيري: سكارفيس

فرانك ريبيري: سكارفيس

من طفلٍ عانى من أقصى أنواع التّنمّر إلى لاعبٍ وصل للقمّة الكُرويّة

ولكن.. أيضًا مسيرته لم تخلُ من الظُّلم والمُعاناة

فعل كُلّ شيءٍ يمكن للاعب كُرة القدم فعله في عامٍ واحدٍ فقط ولكنّ النّهاية كانت صادمةً للجميع

بلال ريبيري.. من الفقر والتّنمّر إلى عرش كُرة القدم

الفصول:
00:00 المُقدِّمة
01:05 الطّفولة المُبكّرة
02:05 يونيون سبورتيف بولون
02:22 أولمبيك أليس
02:27 ستاد بريست
02:57 ميتز
04:17 غلطة سراي
06:17 أولمبيك مارسيليا
11:17 كأس عالم ٢٠٠٦
15:26 أولمبيك مارسيليا
17:04 بايرن ميونخ
21:42 يورو ٢٠٠٨
21:57 بايرن ميونخ
29:29 كأس عالم ٢٠١٠
29:57 بايرن ميونخ
41:32 يورو ٢٠١٢
41:56 بايرن ميونخ
54:13 كأس عالم ٢٠١٤
54:49 بايرن ميونخ
1:10:08 فيورنتينا
1:12:28 ساليرنيتانا

كتابة ومونتاج: حامد النّقبي

From a child who suffered the most extreme forms of bullying to a player who reached the top of football. However, his career was also not without injustice and suffering. He did everything a football player could do in just one year, but the end was shocking to everyone. Franck Henri Pierre Ribéry… From poverty and bullying to the throne of football Franck Henri Pierre Ribéry was born on April 7, 1983 in Boulogne-sur-Mer. In his second year, Ribéry almost lost his life after a car accident when the family car collided with a transport truck and he emerged from the front window. Ribéry’s face was then stitched with 100 stitches after miraculously escaping death. Ribéry’s life was never the same again. As a result of the accident and the 100 stitches he received, he left a scar on the right side of his face that stayed with him for the rest of his life. At the age of six, Ribéry joined the local club Conté de Boulogne-sur-Mer. Ribéry stayed with the club for six years, leaving in 1995 due to difficulties adapting. However, he later joined Lille, which marked a significant development in Ribéry’s career, and spent four years with them until leaving in 1999 due to difficulties adapting and balancing training, playing, and studying. After leaving Lille, Ribéry worked with his father, a construction worker, in carpentry for three months until he returned to football with Union Sportive Boulogne. Ribéry was promoted to the first team after just one season, specifically in the 2000/2001 season. However, he made his professional debut the following season, starting in the club’s match against Sochaux in the French Cup. Unfortunately, the club lost 5-1. The following season, Ribéry moved to Olympique Alès on a free transfer, but he only stayed for one season. In the 2003/2004 season, Ribéry moved to Stade Brest on a free transfer due to the bankruptcy of Olympique Alès. Ribéry made his debut with Stade Brest in the French Cup against Saint-Colombin Locmény, coming on in the 84th minute and only participating for six minutes. However, his second start came against Olympique Ajaccio, contributing two goals, setting up the first three minutes later and scoring the second in the 29th minute. The match ended 3-1. He also made his third appearance against Nantes, but the club lost 4-0. The following season, 2004/2005, Ribéry moved to Metz on a free transfer. This was a significant move in Ribéry’s career, as Stade Brest was in the third division while Metz were in the first division. Ribéry made his first start for Metz in the league against Nantes, assisting Richard Sucre’s winning goal . He missed one round of action, but in the following round, Metz played against Olympique Lyonnais, and Ribéry scored in a 1-1 draw . In the next round, Metz faced Olympique de Marseille, and Ribéry assisted Hervé Thom’s first goal and then assisted Hervé Thom’s third . The match ended 3-1, with Ribéry performing brilliantly. However, after this performance, Ribéry missed eight consecutive rounds until he returned to scoring in the 13th round against Toulouse, when the two clubs tied 1-1. Ribéry then missed seven consecutive rounds of action, missing five. Ribéry was awarded the Best Rookie of the Year award in France in 2004. However, just three days after Round 25, in which he did not participate, Ribéry moved to Galatasaray for five million euros. Despite not contributing to any goals in the first four rounds, Ribéry made his first contribution when Galatasaray faced İstanbulspor, assisting Hasan Kabzi in a 3-0 win. In the next round, Galatasaray faced Ankaraspor, and Ribéry assisted two goals in just 25 minutes for Hakan Sukur and Necati Ateş, in a 4-2 win. Ribéry then missed four rounds of action, missing one round due to an ankle injury. However, in Round 31, Galatasaray faced Ancracjoku, and Ribéry assisted a goal in a 2-1 victory. Galatasaray fans nicknamed Ribéry “Ferrariberi” due to his incredible speed. Galatasaray had reached the Turkish Cup final after defeating Trabzonspor 5-3 in the semi-final . The final was against Fenerbahçe, and Ribéry scored the opening goal in the 15th minute and set up Necati Ateş’s second. The match ended 5-1, and Ribéry won his first official title. Ribéry did not contribute in the last three rounds of the league, yet Galatasaray fans still wanted him to stay. However, he moved to Olympique de Marseille on a free transfer. Ribéry made his debut for Olympique de Marseille in the Intertoto Cup against Swiss club Young Boys. Although the match ended 2-1 in favor of Olympique de Marseille, Ribéry did not contribute to the victory. His second appearance in the Intertoto Cup was in the semi-final against Lazio and the match ended in a positive draw without Ribery’s contribution. Ribery participated in the league for the first time against Bordeaux, but unfortunately, Marseille lost by two goals and Ribery received a yellow card. The club returned to the Intertoto Cup in the second leg of the semi-final against Lazio, and for the first time, Ribery contributed to scoring a wonderful goal in the match that ended with a hat-trick for Marseille . In his return to the league, Ribery missed one match and did not contribute to four. In the Intertoto Cup final, Marseille faced Deportivo La Coruna and lost the first leg by two goals, but in the second leg, Marseille turned the result around and won 5-1. Ribery scored the opening goal in the fourth minute, but unfortunately, Ribery was sent off eight minutes later, specifically in the twelfth minute . Ribery was then crowned Intertoto Cup champion. In the league, Marseille faced Troyes and won 2-1, with Ribery scoring the first goal. Ribery missed a round, but in the following round, Marseille faced Ribery’s former club, Metz, and won 3-1, with Ribery assisting the first goal and scoring the second. Marseille then faced Nice, with Ribery scoring the winning goal. Two rounds later, Marseille faced Saint-Étienne, with Ribery scoring a goal despite the club losing 2-1 . Three rounds later, Marseille faced Nantes, with the two teams tied, but Ribery scored the goal that sealed Marseille’s victory . Two rounds later, Marseille faced Nancy, with Ribery assisting a goal in a 1-1 draw. Marseille were participating in the UEFA Cup and were drawn in a group with Dinamo Bucharest, CSKA Sofia, Heerenveen, and Levski Sofia. Ribéry didn’t contribute in the first three rounds, but in the fourth round against Dinamo Bucharest, he assisted Bostjan Cesar’s goal in the club’s 2-1 victory. For twelve rounds, from the eighteenth to the thirty-first, Ribéry didn’t contribute a single goal. The Coupe de France began, and in the third round, Marseille faced Le Havre, winning by four goals, with Ribéry scoring two. In the thirty-second round of the UEFA Cup, Marseille faced Bolton Wanderers. The first leg ended in a goalless draw, but the second leg ended in a 2-1 victory for Marseille, with Ribéry contributing a goal. In the round of 16, Marseille faced Zenit Saint Petersburg, and Marseille lost the first leg 1-0. The second leg ended in a 2-1 draw, but Marseille lost on aggregate and were eliminated from the tournament. In the league, Marseille faced Le Mans, and Ribéry assisted a goal for Teofilo Molida in the 1-1 draw. Marseille faced Nantes and won 3-1, with Ribéry assisting two goals for Mamadou Niang and Tofilo Moulida. In the Coupe de France quarterfinals, Marseille faced Olympique Lyonnais, with Marseille winning 2-1, with Ribéry assisting a goal for Mamadou Niang. Back in the league, Marseille defeated Nancy 6-0, with Ribéry assisting a goal for Mamadou Niang. Marseille faced Stade Rennais in the Coupe de France semifinals, with Ribéry scoring a goal in the club’s 3-0 victory. In the final, Marseille faced Paris Saint-Germain, with Marseille losing 2-1. In the league, Marseille faced Strasbourg, with Ribéry scoring a goal in a 2-2 draw. After the departure of coach Jean Fernandez, Ribéry decided to leave Marseille. After the end of the season, Ribéry was called up to the French national team and made his international debut against Mexico, but did not contribute a single goal in the victory. But then Ribéry made assists in matches against Denmark and China. At the age of 23, Ribéry was called up to the French national team for the 2006 World Cup. France were drawn in a group with Togo , South Korea, and Switzerland. Ribéry didn’t contribute to the team’s first two draws against Switzerland and South Korea, but he did assist Patrick Vieira’s goal against Togo. However, after the match against Switzerland, Zinedine Zidane said of Ribéry: “Ribéry will make an impression every time he’s on the pitch. He will become an important figure in football. He doesn’t take things for granted. He’s strong, he brings a zest for life, and he can do more for the French national team.” In the round of 16, France faced Spain, and Ribéry scored his first international goal in a 3-1 victory . Ribéry said after the match: “Scoring against Spain gave me more confidence.” They faced Brazil in the quarterfinals, and despite Ribéry not contributing, they won thanks to Zinedine Zidane’s goal. During this period, rumors appeared about Ribéry moving to Olympique Lyonnais. In the semi-final, they faced Portugal. Ribéry also did not contribute, but they won with a goal from Thierry Henri. France qualified for the World Cup final for the first time since 1998 and faced the Italian national team . Despite the loss, this was Franck Ribéry’s best tournament. After the end of the tournament, Arsenal made an offer of ten million pounds, and Ribéry’s agent, Bruno Heiderscheid, said: “Wenger loves Ribéry very much. He wanted to sign him this summer, but Marseille refused to sell him. Real Madrid also made a £26 million offer. The Guardian reported that new Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon asked Fabio Capello to sign Ribéry. Olympique Lyonnais also made a £20 million offer, but ultimately the club announced that Ribéry was not for sale. At the start of the new season , specifically in the second round against Stade Rennais, Ribéry assisted a goal for Teofilo Molida in the club’s 2-1 victory. Ribéry scored a goal in the following round against Auxerre. Then, against Paris Saint-Germain, Ribéry assisted a goal for Mickaël Pages in the club’s 3-1 victory. In the following round against Bordeaux, Ribéry assisted a goal for Mickaël Pages in the club’s 2-1 victory. Marseille qualified for the UEFA Cup after the playoffs. In the first round, the club lost 4-2 after winning the first leg 1-0, but the club exited the match on aggregate with a 4-3 score. The Coupe de France began in the third round and Marseille faced Athletic Cambrai. Ribéry assisted two goals for Djibril Cissé in the club’s 4-0 victory. In the fourth round of the Coupe de France, Marseille faced Le Mans, and Ribéry assisted the decisive goal in the 121st minute for Mamadou Niang. In the league, Marseille faced Lille, and Ribéry assisted two goals for Renato Civelli in the club’s 4-1 victory. Returning to the Coupe de France, Marseille was set to face Nantes in the semi- finals after qualifying at the expense of Vannes in the previous round and also after qualifying in the previous round against Lyon. In the semi-finals, Marseille defeated Nantes 3-0 , with Ribéry scoring a stunning goal. In the 34th round, Marseille faced Sochaux, winning 4-2 . This was Ribéry’s best match of his career, as he assisted two goals for Loric Sané and Djibril Cisse and scored one. In the next round, Marseille faced Monaco, with Ribéry scoring in a 2-1 victory. In the Coupe de France final, Marseille faced Sochaux, with the match ending 2-2 in regular time. Sochaux won 7-6 on penalties. In the summer, Franck Ribéry moved to Bayern Munich for €35 million, the most expensive transfer in Bayern Munich’s history. Following Ribéry’s transfer, Olympique de Marseille president Pape Diouf said, “We helped Franck get where he is today, and we’re not really happy to let him go.” This expressed the club president’s dissatisfaction with the departure of the team’s best player. But Ribéry said after his move to Bayern Munich: “Everything went well . I’m happy I was able to help Munich.” And from here began the best period of Ribéry’s career. Ribéry made his debut with Bayern Munich in the German Cup against Werder Bremen, assisting a goal for Hamit Altintop and scoring two goals. In the German Cup semi-final, Bayern faced Stuttgart, winning 2-0 with Ribéry scoring one. Bayern won 1-0 against Schalke in the final. Ribéry made his league debut against Hansa Rostock, and despite Bayern’s 3-0 victory, Ribéry did not contribute to any goals. In the second round, Bayern faced Werder Bremen, winning 4-0 with Ribéry contributing one goal. After missing four rounds, Ribéry returned to his game against Energie Cottbus, assisting a goal for Miroslav Klose. In the UEFA Cup, Bayern faced Belenenses and won the first leg 1-0 and the second leg 2-0. Ribéry assisted Luca Toni. In the tenth round, Bayern faced Bochum and won 2-1, with Ribéry contributing both goals and an assist. In the UEFA Cup, Bayern were drawn in a group with Red Star Belgrade, Aris Salonika, Bolton Wanderers, and Sparta Prague. Ribéry missed the first leg against Red Star Belgrade due to muscle problems, but in the second leg, Bayern drew 2-2 with Bolton Wanderers, with Ribéry assisting Lukas Podolski. Bayern faced Wolfsburg in the fourteenth round of the Bundesliga. Ribéry assisted Miroslav Klose’s goal and scored the second in the 50th minute. The match ended 2-1, with Ribéry contributing both of Bayern’s goals. In the following round, Bayern faced Arminia Bielefeld and won thanks to a beautiful goal from Ribéry. In the final round of the UEFA Cup group stage, Bayern faced Aris Thessaloniki, with Ribéry assisting three goals in the club’s 6-0 victory. Ribéry was awarded the 2007 French Player of the Year award. Bayern qualified for the round of 16 of the DFB-Pokal and were drawn against Borussia Wuppertal. Ribéry assisted two goals for Miroslav Klose and Daniel van Buyten in a 5-2 win for Bayern. In the league, Bayern faced Hansa Rostock in the 18th round, with Ribéry scoring in Bayern’s 2-1 victory. Ribéry then missed four matches, two in the league against Werder Bremen and one against Werder Bremen. Bremen and Hannover, and in the UEFA Cup, in the round of 32, they faced Aberdeen, but Bayern advanced with a 7-3 aggregate victory and qualified for the next round. In the league, Bayern drew with Hamburg, with Ribéry contributing to the equalizer by setting up a goal for Ze Roberto . Bayern faced 1860 Munich and won with a beautiful Ribéry penalty. Bayern faced Anderlecht, and Ribéry assisted two goals for Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose, and also scored a beautiful goal from a direct free kick. Bayern played Karlsruher SC in the league, and Ribéry scored a goal in the 64th minute. In the German Cup, Bayern faced Wolfsburg, with Ribéry scoring a beautiful goal, and the match ended with a double, after Miroslav Klose increased the lead. Bayern faced Nürnberg, with Ribéry setting up Lukas Podolski’s goal in a 1-1 draw. In the next round, Bayern faced Bochum, with Ribéry scoring one of Bayern’s three goals. In the UEFA Cup quarterfinals, Bayern drew 3-3 with Getafe, with Ribéry scoring a crucial goal that sent the two teams to extra time. After the match ended in a 4-4 draw, Bayern advanced on away goals. Bayern faced Borussia Dortmund in the DFB-Pokal final, with Ribéry assisting a goal for Luca Toni. The match ended 2-1 for Bayern, and Ribéry was crowned DFB-Pokal champions. In the 30th round of the league, Bayern faced Stuttgart. Eighteen minutes after coming on, Ribéry scored two goals, the first a rocket and the second an individual effort . Bayern lost 4-0 in the second leg of the UEFA Cup semi-final against Zenit, and were eliminated from the tournament. In the 32nd round, Bayern beat Arminia Bielefeld 2-0, with Ribéry contributing to both goals, one and an assist for Lukas Podolski. In the final round of the league, Bayern faced Hertha Berlin, with Ribéry assisting a goal for Luca Toni and scoring another. Bayern Munich won the German league title with 76 points after a season’s absence. After the end of the season, Ribéry was called up to the French national team for Euro 2008, and they were drawn in a group with Romania, Italy, and the Netherlands. The French national team tied with Romania in their first matchday and lost in the next two matches to the Netherlands and Italy, exiting the group stage in last place with just one point. Ribéry missed the first five matches due to two injuries: a torn patellar ligament and a thigh problem. EA Sports placed Franck Ribéry as the face of its FIFA 2009 game in France, demonstrating the strength of the Frenchman’s fame and influence. Bayern were drawn in a group with Steaua Bucharest, Fiorentina, and Olympique Lyonnais. In the third matchday against Fiorentina, Ribéry assisted a goal for Bastian Schweinsteiger. In the ninth matchday of the Bundesliga, Bayern faced Wolfsburg, and Ribéry scored a beautiful goal from outside the penalty area. Ribéry finished 16th in the Ballon d’Or, and afterward said, “I’m disappointed. I should have deserved better.” He also scored in the next five matches, delivering a historic performance for a left winger. Ribéry made three assists in two Champions League matches against Fiorentina and Steaua Bucharest. Ribéry scored against Olympique Lyonnais in a 3-2 victory for Bayern. Ribéry was named Player of the Year in 2008 in both France and Germany. In the DFB-Pokal, Bayern faced Stuttgart, with Ribéry scoring and assisting in a 5-1 victory. In the 19th round, Bayern beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0, with Ribéry assisting goals for Zérile Roberto and Miroslav Klose. In the first leg of the round of 16, Bayern faced Sporting Lisbon, with Ribéry scoring and assisting two goals in a 5-1 victory. In the 27th round, Bayern faced Eintracht Frankfurt. Just three minutes later, Ribéry scored a stunning goal and set up Luca Toni’s second from a free kick. Bayern equalized with Barcelona thanks to a fine goal from Ribéry , but Bayern were eliminated from the Champions League after losing the first leg 4-0. Bayern lost to Schalke 04 by one goal, and Ribéry was sent off after receiving two yellow cards and was suspended for one match. Manchester United made a £63 million offer for Ribéry, a new record in the world of football. United made this offer to Ribéry to replace Cristiano Ronaldo, who was likely to leave next summer for Real Madrid. Ribéry indicated the idea of leaving the team in an interview with the French newspaper L’Equipe, saying: “Under these conditions, it will be very difficult to survive, that’s clear… That’s why the club must finish at least second.” Bayern Munich tied 2-2 with Hoffenheim, with Ribéry scoring one goal and setting up the other. In the last game of the league, Bayern met Stuttgart and won 2-1, with Ribéry assisting both goals. Bayern finished the season in second place with 67 points, behind Wolfsburg, who collected 69 points and won the league by just two points. There was interest from Real Madrid and Chelsea in Ribéry, with rumors emerging that Ribéry would move to Real Madrid for 50 million euros. However, Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness responded to this offer, saying: “You would only get Ribéry’s leg at best. If Chelsea or Real Madrid want Ribéry, they would have to make an offer of at least 100 million euros.” Club chairman Keller-Heinz Rummenigge also said: “Ribéry will remain at Bayern Munich next season, regardless of what Chelsea or any other club offers.” Rummenigge also told Munich newspaper TZ: “Bayern Munich alone decides what will happen, no matter how many millions are offered. We don’t want to sell Franck.” Rummenigge said: “We are comfortable and proud that we have one of the three best players in the world under contract. Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and his advisor Pedro Jimenez asked us if we would be willing to talk to them about a transfer, but we rejected this opportunity and have no intention of selling Ribéry.” When asked if Real Madrid had made an offer for Ribéry, he said: “No, but other clubs have. Chelsea made an offer, as did Manchester United and Barcelona. We are completely comfortable about this. The power is in Bayern Munich’s hands. I don’t want to talk about financial amounts because that is not in our interest . The amount is irrelevant. There will always be a perception that Bayern Munich is trying to raise the price and that there is a certain value that we have to accept, but I will say it again: we want to keep Ribéry.” When Franz Beckenbauer was asked about Ribéry, he said: “I hope he stays.” For me, he’s on the same level as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the best players in the world. We don’t have many world-class players in the Bundesliga, especially now that Diego has left Werder Bremen for Juventus. If Ribéry leaves, it would be a huge step backwards, and that’s something we want to avoid. Ribéry missed the first round of the league with knee problems. He returned in the fourth round against Wolfsburg, coming on in the 63rd minute and just 27 minutes later, setting up two goals for Arjen Robben. Ribéry’s relationship with coach Louis van Gaal hasn’t been good, as he told L’Equipe: “It’s important to trust the coach, but with him it’s complicated. This is the first time my communication with the coach hasn’t been positive. There aren’t many feelings between us.” He later told the German newspaper Bild: ” Telling jokes is part of Franck Ribéry, no matter who I do it with. If I don’t enjoy myself, I can’t play football either.” Despite making his dissatisfaction with the Dutch coach clear, he said: “We train well and hard. Van Gaal talks to me a lot and gets to know me better. I feel we’re on the right track.” Bayern beat Dortmund 5-1, with Ribéry scoring from a beautiful free kick. Ribéry missed 15 matches in all competitions due to problems with his patellar tendon and a toe injury. Ribéry returned and participated in two rounds, but was not influential in any of them until the Wolfsburg round, when he scored. In the DFB-Pokal quarterfinals, Bayern faced Greuther Fürth, scoring one goal and providing two assists. Bayern beat Dortmund 3-1, with Ribéry providing assists for Arjen Robben and Mario Gomez. Bayern faced Hamburg and Ribéry settled the match with a wonderful goal. Bayern were set to face Manchester United in the Champions League quarter-finals after qualifying at the expense of Fiorentina in the previous round. Bayern won 2-1, with Ribéry scoring a goal. Bayern faced Schalke and won 2-1, with Ribéry scoring a beautiful goal. Bayern lost 3-2 in the second leg of the quarter-final against United, with the two clubs drawing 4-4 on aggregate, but Bayern advanced on the away goals rule . In the first leg of the semi-final, Bayern faced Olympique Lyonnais and won 1-0. Unfortunately, Ribéry was sent off with a straight red card for a rough tackle on a Lyon player. He would have missed the second leg and the final had Bayern secured a victory . Bayern faced Werder Bremen in the German Cup final, and Ribéry scored a goal in a one-on-one. The match ended with a 4-0 victory, and Ribéry won the German Cup. Bayern won 3-0 in the second leg and reached the Champions League final after a nine-year absence . Without Ribéry, they would have faced Inter Milan. Several hours before the Champions League final, Ribéry signed a contract with Bayern Munich until 2015. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: “We are very happy because he is one of the best players in the world. This shows how ambitious we are for the coming years.” Expressing his happiness, Ribéry said: “Bayern has become like a big family.” For me. Bayern lost 2-0, and Bayern’s dreams of returning to the European throne were over. Bayern finished the season in first place in the Bundesliga with 70 points, five points ahead of Schalke . After the season, the 2010 World Cup was played, and France were drawn in a group with South Africa , Mexico, and Uruguay. They drew with Uruguay, and after the match, Just Fontaine said, ” Ribéry? One day, we made a mistake when we said he was the brains of the team, and since then he’s believed it. He dribbles past seven players, but the eighth takes the ball from him.” They lost the next two rounds against Mexico and South Africa, finishing last with just one point, and the World Cup runners-up continued to be eliminated from tournaments in the first round. Ribéry scored against Germania Windeck in the first round of the German Cup. In the first round of the league, Bayern faced Wolfsburg, and Ribéry set up a beautiful goal for Bastian Schweinsteiger . Ribéry only contributed one goal over the next four rounds. He missed nine matches in all competitions due to a torn ankle collateral ligament, a period of one month and one week. Ribéry returned on matchday 12 against Nuremberg and set up a goal in the club’s 3-0 victory. In the Champions League, Bayern were drawn with Romanian club CFR Cluj, Swiss club Basel, and Roma. Ribéry missed the first four rounds of the group stage due to his red card in the previous edition of the Champions League, and he missed the other three due to a torn ankle collateral ligament . Ribéry set up a goal in Bayern’s 3-2 loss to Roma. In his second appearance against Basel, he scored two goals, including a beautiful goal with his first touch, in Bayern’s 3-0 victory. Bayern finished the group stage in first place with 15 points. Bayern faced St. Pauli, and Ribéry scored a beautiful goal after dribbling past the goalkeeper. In the next round, Bayern faced VfB Stuttgart, and Ribéry scored a stunning rocket goal . Bayern also faced Stuttgart in the cup, and Ribéry scored one goal and provided four assists in the club’s 6-3 victory. Bayern faced Wolfsburg, and Ribéry went off in the 25th minute due to an injury. The injury was expected to be serious, but it turned out to be a torn kneecap . The team doctor said Ribéry would return to training in just five days. Ribéry later told Bayern’s website, “I’m very happy and relieved.” Ribéry said he had a sleepless night due to severe pain in his knee after returning from Wolfsburg. Ribéry would miss the next round of the league against Kaiserslautern. Ribéry missed three rounds due to the injury. In his second round back from injury, Ribéry assisted two goals against Hoffenheim in the club’s 4-0 victory. Ribéry contributed two goals against Dortmund and Hannover, but unfortunately, Bayern lost both matches 3-1. Ribéry made three assists in the next round against Hamburg and scored a beautiful goal. Bayern lost 3-2 to Inter Milan in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16, and Bayern were eliminated from the tournament. Ribéry was called up to the French national team for the first time in about nine months for several reasons, most notably that he was almost responsible for the revolt that occurred in the French national team camp after the 2010 World Cup. Ribéry said: “Obviously, I had a terrible 2010 in every way. I won’t even talk about the injuries that bothered me. But in my private life, and my behavior as a footballer , I took the wrong path and lost myself. I hurt the people who are dear to me. I disappointed and even shocked many of them, and I want to apologize.” Bayern Munich won 2-1 against SC Freiburg, with Ribéry contributing two goals, one assist, and one goal. In the next five rounds, Ribéry contributed three goals. In the penultimate round of the league, he assisted one goal and scored two, including a goal into the far corner. Ribéry was suspended for the final round of the league against Stuttgart due to an accumulation of yellow cards, but Bayern won 2-1. Bayern finished the season in third place with 65 points, behind Bayer Leverkusen (68 points) and Borussia Dortmund (75 points). At the beginning of the season, Bayern played in the Champions League qualifiers against Swiss club FC Zurich, winning 3-0 in both matches. Bayern Munich lost 1-0 in the first round of the league against Borussia Mönchengladbach. However, in the second round, Bayern won 1-0 against Wolfsburg, with Ribéry assisting Luiz Gustavo. In the third round, Bayern defeated Hamburg 5-0, with Ribery scoring one goal. In the fifth round, Bayern defeated Freiburg 7-0, with Ribery assisting a goal for Mario Gomez and scoring two goals, including a creative goal . Bayern was drawn into a group with Villarreal, Manchester City, and Napoli. The first round of the group stage was against Villarreal, and Ribery assisted a goal for Toni Kroos in the club’s 2-0 victory. Bayern faced Schalke 04, and Ribery assisted two of the club’s goals. In the Hertha Berlin round, he scored Ribery scored a goal and made three assists as the club won 4-0. Bayern faced Nuremberg and won 4-0, with Ribery scoring a goal from outside the penalty area. Ribery also scored a goal for the second consecutive round against Augsburg. Ribery did not contribute in the next three Champions League rounds. In the final round against Villarreal, Ribery scored two beautiful goals, the first from Lupp and the second from dribbling past the goalkeeper. In the fifteenth round, Bayern defeated Werder Bremen 4-1, with Ribery scoring two beautiful goals and making one assist. Bayern played against Köln, and Ribery was shown a yellow card in the 32nd minute . The referee then showed him another yellow card in the same minute, and he was sent off. In the DFB-Pokal quarterfinals, Bayern defeated Stuttgart 2-0, with Ribery scoring a goal. In the 23rd round of the league, Bayern faced Schalke, and Ribéry scored two very beautiful goals: the first after dribbling past the goalkeeper in an unusual way, and the other after dribbling past the defenders. Two rounds later, Bayern faced Hoffenheim, and Ribéry made three assists and scored one after dribbling past the goalkeeper . In the 16th round, Bayern played Swiss club Basel and lost by one goal, but Bayern won the second leg 7-0, with Ribéry making three assists. After the Hoffenheim round, Bayern faced Hertha Berlin and won 6-0, with Ribéry also making three assists. Ribéry contributed two goals in three rounds. In the Champions League quarter-finals, Bayern faced Ribéry’s former club, Marseille. They won 2-0 in the first leg and 2-0 in the second leg, with Ribéry making one assist. Bayern Munich met Werder Bremen, with Werder Bremen defender Naldo scoring a goal, followed by an own goal. In the last minute of the match, Ribéry scored a goal that sealed Bayern Munich’s victory and delayed Borussia Dortmund’s league title celebrations. In the first leg of the semi-final against Real Madrid, Ribéry scored a rocket from inside the penalty area, and Bayern finished 2-1 in the first leg. In stoppage time, Bayern were awarded a free kick, and Robben reportedly asked Ribéry to give Toni Kroos the free kick. Sport Bild later claimed that the altercation escalated into a verbal argument between the two, with Ribéry punching Robben and suffering bruises under his eye. Bayern Munich’s media director, Markus Hoerwick, said: “Whatever happens in the dressing room stays in the dressing room. We won’t comment further.” Sport Bild added that a meeting was held afterward, and Ribéry was said to have apologized and accepted the fine for his actions. The second leg ended with a 2-1 victory for Real Madrid, with the two clubs drawing 4-4 on aggregate. The tie also went to penalties, with Bayern and Real Madrid scoring an away goal each, with the match going to penalties . Bayern qualified for the Champions League final after winning on penalties. In the final round of the league, Bayern faced FC Köln and won 4-1, with Ribéry assisting two goals. Bayern finished the season in second place with 73 points, 81 behind Borussia Dortmund. Bayern qualified for the DFB-Pokal final, where they faced Borussia Dortmund and lost 5-2. Bayern Munich were set to face Chelsea in the Champions League final, and the score remained goalless until the 83rd minute. Bayern lost the final. Although the match was uneventful for most of the time, the events that occurred in the final minutes were enough. Unfortunately, Ribéry was substituted in the 97th minute due to injury. After the end of the season, Euro 2012 was played, and France was drawn in a group with Sweden, Ukraine, and England. The French national team tied with England, with Ribéry setting up the goal. In the second round, France defeated Ukraine 2-0. In the final round, France lost 2-0 to Sweden, but France finished the group in second place with four points, qualifying for the second round for the first time since 2006. France faced Spain in the quarterfinals, but they lost 2-0 and were eliminated from the tournament. At the beginning of the new season, Bayern faced Borussia Dortmund in the German Super Cup, and Bayern won 2-1. Ribéry assisted a goal for Mario Mandzukic, and Ribéry won the German Super Cup. In the first 6 rounds of the league, Ribéry contributed only one goal and missed 3 of them. In the Champions League, Bayern were drawn in a group with Lille, BATE Borisov of Belarus, and Valencia. Bayern faced BATE Borisov in the second round of the group stage, and Ribéry scored a beautiful goal, but unfortunately, Bayern lost 3-1. Ribéry scored in the league for the first time against Hoffenheim. He didn’t just score one goal, but two, each one more beautiful than the last. In the next round, Bayern faced Fortuna Düsseldorf, and in the club’s 5-0 victory, Ribéry assisted three goals, including one for Mario Mandzukic, Thomas Müller, and Rafinha. Ribéry missed the next round against Bayer Leverkusen, but in the following round against Hamburg, he assisted goals for Thomas Müller and Toni Kroos. In round 11, Ribéry scored against Eintracht Frankfurt. In round 13, he scored a fine goal against Hannover. Bayern finished the group stage in first place with thirteen points, tied with Valencia but ahead on goal difference. In the DFB-Pokal, Bayern advanced to the round of sixteen and faced Augsburg. Ribéry assisted a goal for Mario Gomez, but was sent off after slapping Augsburg’s Koo Ja-cheol and will be suspended for the next two cup matches should Bayern advance to the semi-finals. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said, ” We see no solution to avoid the minimum punishment, which is a two-match ban, for such a gesture. ” Ribéry has only contributed two goals in nine league rounds. But in the 23rd round, Bayern played Werder Bremen, and Ribéry set up a goal for Mario Gomez and scored a beautiful goal with a beautiful assist from Philipp Lahm . Two rounds later, Ribéry scored against Düsseldorf. Bayern qualified for the Champions League quarterfinals and faced Arsenal, winning the first leg 3-1. Ribéry missed the second leg in a 2-0 defeat, and the aggregate score was 3-3. However, Bayern advanced to the next round on away goals. In the 27th round against Hamburg, Ribéry scored a goal in the club’s 9-1 victory. Ribéry also assisted a goal for Xherdan Shaqiri in Bayern’s match against Nuremberg. In the Champions League quarterfinals, Bayern faced Juventus, and qualified with four goals on aggregate, but Ribéry did not contribute any goals. In the 30th round, Bayern won 6-1 against Hannover, with Ribéry scoring the second goal. Bayern faced Barcelona and won the first leg 4-0. In the second leg, they won 3-0, with Ribéry setting up a goal for Thomas Müller. Bayern won the two-legged tie 7-0 on aggregate . Ribéry assisted goals for Xherdan Shaqiri and Luiz Gustavo against Augsburg. In the final round of the league against Borussia Mönchengladbach, Ribéry had his best game of the season, assisting two goals for Javi Martinez and Arjen Robben and scoring two more. Bayern finished first in the league with 91 points, ahead of Borussia Dortmund with 66 points, a significant 25-point lead. Bayern faced Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final in an all-German derby. Bayern won 2-0 with goals from Mario Mandzukic and Arjen Robben. Ribéry assisted Robben’s goal, winning the most valuable title of his career. Ribéry then said: “I slept with the cup and my wife.” In the German Cup final, Bayern faced Stuttgart and won 3-2, crowning Bayern with a historic treble. At the beginning of the new season, Bayern lost 4-2 in the German Super Cup against Borussia Dortmund without Ribéry. In the first round of the league, Bayern faced Borussia Mönchengladbach, and Ribéry assisted two goals for Arjen Robben and Mario Mandzukic in the club’s 3-1 victory. In the third round, Bayern faced Nuremberg, and Ribéry scored his first header for Bayern Munich. The referee gave him a yellow card within the same minute for taking off his shirt in celebration. On August 29, Ribéry won the UEFA Best Player in Europe award, beating Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Bayern Munich faced Chelsea in the UEFA Super Cup, and Ribéry scored a rocket from outside the penalty area. The match then went to penalties, which Bayern won, and Ribéry was crowned the UEFA Super Cup champion. In the league, specifically in the fifth round of the league, Bayern faced Hannover and won 2-0, with Ribéry scoring a goal. In the following round of the league, against Schalke in the German Cup, Bayern defeated Hannover 4-1, with Ribéry scoring a goal. In the Champions League, Bayern was drawn in a group with Viktoria Plzen, CSKA Moscow, and Manchester City. In the second round of the group, Bayern faced Manchester City, and in Bayern’s 3-1 victory, Ribéry scored the beautiful opening goal from outside the penalty area. Ribéry contributed to five goals in five rounds, despite missing two rounds. Ribéry scored two goals in the third round against Viktoria Plzeň, the first from a penalty kick and the second after dribbling past defenders and chipping the ball over the goalkeeper. Bayern returned to the league, specifically in the twelfth round, where they faced Augsburg. Ribéry scored a beautiful, rocket-like goal from a free kick that resembled a penalty . Ribéry then missed the next two rounds due to injury. However, in his first round back from injury, against Werder Bremen, Ribéry assisted and scored two goals in the club’s 7-0 victory. Bayern lost in the final round of the Champions League group stage, 3-2, to City. Despite this, Bayern topped the group with fifteen points, tied with City but ahead on goal difference. Share Bayern Munich entered the Club World Cup in the semi-finals, where they faced Guangzhou Evergrande. Ribéry scored a goal in Bayern’s 3-0 victory. Ribéry then won the Bundesliga Player of the Year award for 2013. During the same period, The Guardian ranked Ribéry as the fourth best player of 2013, behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lionel Messi. In the final, Bayern defeated Raja Casablanca 2-0, and Ribéry won the Club World Cup and the Club World Cup Golden Ball. Ribéry was also named Player of the Year by Globe Soccer. The 2013 Ballon d’Or ceremony was held on January 13, 2014. Voting was extended from November 15 to November 29 for the first time in the award’s history. Ribéry was included in the FIFA World XI in midfield alongside Xavi and Iniesta. Cristiano Ronaldo was crowned the Ballon d’Or amid much controversy, as the most prominent nominees were Franck Ribéry, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Ribéry finished 2013 with 43 contributions, Messi 61, and Ronaldo 84. Although Cristiano contributed the most, Ribéry won the Bundesliga, Champions League, DFB-Pokal, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup, in addition to being named Bundesliga Player of the Year and UEFA Men’s Player of the Year by Globe Soccer Awards. Messi won La Liga, the Spanish Super Cup, the Pichichi Award for top scorer in La Liga, the European Golden Shoe , and La Liga Player of the Year. While Cristiano Ronaldo ended the year empty -handed, only winning the Champions League top scorer award. But in the end, Ribéry lost the award . Ribéry told the German newspaper Sport Bild: “I learned a lot during the Ballon d’Or ceremony . As soon as I got there, I told my wife I was going to lose. I saw how Sepp Blatter was hugging Ronaldo and how his whole family was there. I’m not stupid. It was clear he had to win it. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have brought his whole family with him. The Ballon d’Or is no longer for the best player. It’s linked to politics. Fabio Cannavaro won it in 2006 because he won the World Cup, that’s all. I don’t miss the Ballon d’Or, and I’m not jealous because this award no longer means anything to me. I’m happy with what I achieved in Munich. When 70,000 fans chant my name in the Allianz Arena, I get goosebumps. I can go home happy after that.” After missing two rounds with a back injury, Ribéry returned on matchday 19 against Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring and assisting. Ribéry underwent surgery to repair a ruptured blood vessel in his buttocks and it was clear he would miss the next round against Nuremberg, but the club is hopeful he will be back in time for the first leg of the round of 16 clash with Arsenal. Club spokesman Markus Horowick said: “Franck is suffering from compartment syndrome.” Compartment syndrome occurs when excess pressure builds up within a closed space in the body. The dangerously high pressure in compartment syndrome can impede blood flow to and from the affected tissue. It can be a serious condition that requires surgery, like Ribéry’s, to prevent permanent injury. Unfortunately, Ribéry did not return for the first leg of the round of 16 clash against Arsenal, but he returned on matchday 24 against Wolfsburg and scored. In the first leg of the round of 16, Bayern won 2-0 , and they drew 1-1 in the second leg, with Ribéry assisting one goal. Ribéry scored a beautiful goal in the 27th round against Hertha Berlin. Bayern faced Manchester United in the Champions League quarterfinals, and Bayern advanced with a 4-2 aggregate win. In the 32nd round, Ribéry scored a goal against Werder Bremen in the club’s 5-2 victory. In the Champions League semifinal, Bayern faced Real Madrid and lost 5-0 in both legs. Ribéry missed the last two rounds of the league, against Hamburg and Stuttgart. Bayern finished first in the league with 90 points, ahead of Borussia Dortmund with 71 points. Bayern qualified for the DFB-Pokal final after defeating Kaiserslautern in the semifinals 5-1. The German Cup final was against Borussia Dortmund, and they won with two goals from Robben and Müller after extra time. Ribéry was crowned German Cup champion after the end of the season. The 2014 World Cup was played, and Ribéry said before the World Cup: “This will be the last World Cup I play in. We have to go there to achieve something, and try to win the World Cup, simply put.” However, Ribéry missed the World Cup due to a lower back injury he suffered in national team training. France coach Didier Deschamps said: “He is unable to train for several weeks, let alone play a match.” He had to stop training. The pain was very severe. We ran tests in the early afternoon, and the tests confirmed the condition had worsened. The French national team reached the World Cup quarter-finals but lost to Germany. Before the start of the new 2014-2015 season, specifically on August 13, Ribéry announced his international retirement, saying that he would stop playing for the French national team to focus on his club career and spend more time with his family. Ribéry described his retirement as purely personal, saying: “There have been ups and downs, but now it’s time for a new chapter in my life.” Ribéry missed the first two rounds of the league against Wolfsburg and Schalke, but made his debut in the third round against Stuttgart, scoring a goal. After missing four more matches, upon his return against Werder Bremen, exactly an hour later, the fans chanted Ribéry’s name as he replaced Arjen Robben . Ribéry said afterwards: “I feel good and the pain is gone.” But he also clarified: “I’ve had two good weeks of training, but we have to take it slow. That’s the important thing. Obviously, I want to play every game, but I don’t think I’m ready yet.” Thomas Müller said: “Franck knows he’s an important member of the team, and it’s obviously great for him when the fans chant his name. It’s great to see him back on the pitch.” In the Champions League, Bayern were drawn in a group with CSKA Moscow, Roma, and Manchester City. Ribéry missed the first two matches against City and CSKA Moscow but participated in the third match against Roma, scoring a superb goal in the club’s 7-1 victory. In the round of 16 of the DFB-Pokal, Bayern faced Hamburger SV, and Ribéry scored from outside the penalty area. Ribéry said after the match, “The team played well, and so did I! It wasn’t easy for me.” He commented on his goal, saying, “Although I was a little lucky, it was a great goal for me and the team.” Guardiola said, “I’m very happy with his performance. Let’s not forget the time he was injured. I’m happy that he was able to play the full 90 minutes.” In the second leg of the group stage match against Roma, Ribéry scored with his first touch . After six matches, Ribéry had only contributed three goals. However, in the fourteenth round, Bayern faced Bayer Leverkusen, and Ribéry scored the decisive goal. During club training, Ribéry suffered a muscle tear in his right hamstring and was expected to miss the next three league rounds. After returning from injury, Ribéry scored against Hamburg in the club’s eight-goal victory. In the following round, Ribéry scored a beautiful goal against Paderborn and assisted goals for Robert Lewandowski and Arjen Robben. In the following round, Bayern faced Köln, and Ribéry assisted a goal for Robben and scored a surprise goal from outside the penalty area . Ribéry also assisted a goal for Thomas Müller in the following round against Hannover. In the Champions League round of 16, Bayern faced Shakhtar Donetsk, and the first leg ended in a goalless draw . However, Bayern won the second leg 7-0, but unfortunately, Ribéry had to be substituted due to an ankle injury. Ribéry commented on the injury, saying, “It’s painful and a bit shameful.” I was feeling very well. Right now, I’m receiving treatment every day, using the bike and the treadmill. My hope is that once all the international players are back next week, I can return to the pitch and train with the team. But I can’t yet say if I’ll be involved in the Dortmund match. Ribéry missed 16 matches due to injury, which meant his entire season was over. Bayern’s DFB-Pokal campaign ended in the semi-finals when they lost to Borussia Dortmund. Their Champions League campaign also ended in the semi-finals against Barcelona. In the league, Bayern finished first with 79 points, ahead of Borussia Dortmund, who collected 69 points. Ribéry missed the first seven league rounds due to injury, but returned to individual training in October 2015 and then resumed training with the first team. Ribéry said: “This is a great day for me, and very emotional. The whole team was happy for me, it was fun.” He said of his absence: “It’s important to always keep your head up and work hard. Now I’m back with the team. It feels good.” After missing another seven rounds and 21 matches in all competitions, Ribéry made his debut and scored a goal, but Bayern lost 3-0 to Borussia Mönchengladbach. Ribéry returned and missed eight matches in all competitions, but upon his return, he contributed two goals in two matches. In the Champions League, Bayern qualified from the group stage in first place, and fell to Juventus in the round of sixteen, drawing 2-2, and qualified after winning 4-2 in the second leg. Ribéry contributed only one goal in four matches, but upon his return against Eintracht Frankfurt, he scored one of the best goals of his career. His scissor kick was one of his best and also the decisive goal . In the next two rounds, Ribéry assisted a goal in each round. Bayern qualified for the Champions League semi-finals, where they faced Benfica and won 3-2 on aggregate. In the semi-finals, Bayern faced Atlético Madrid, with the aggregate score being 2-2, but Atlético Madrid advanced to the final on away goals. Ribéry contributed one goal in the last three rounds of the league, missing one. Bayern finished first in the league with 88 points, ten points ahead of Borussia Dortmund. Bayern reached the DFB-Pokal final after defeating Werder Bremen 2-0 in the semi-finals. They then faced Borussia Dortmund in the final, winning 4-3 on penalties. Bayern faced Borussia Dortmund in the German Super Cup, winning 2-0, and Ribéry won the German Super Cup . In the first round of the DFB-Pokal, Bayern faced Carl Zeiss Jena, with Ribéry assisting two goals in Bayern’s 5-0 victory. In the first round of the league, the club faced Werder Bremen, with Ribéry scoring a beautiful goal with his first touch. In the third round, Bayern faced Ingolstadt, with Ribéry assisting three goals for Robert Lewandowski, Xabi Alonso, and Rafinha. Bayern faced Hertha Berlin in the fourth round, with Ribéry scoring a wonderful goal. In the fifth round of the league, they faced Hamburg, with Ribéry assisting the decisive goal. In the Champions League, Bayern were drawn in a group with PSV Eindhoven, FC Rostov, and Atlético Madrid. In the first round of the Champions League group stage, Bayern faced FC Rostov, and Ribéry assisted a goal for Juan Bernat. Ribéry missed eight matches in all competitions due to injury. He did not contribute a single goal in two matches against Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen. Ribéry subsequently renewed his contract with Bayern for another year until June 2018, and club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: “He is a key player and a fan favorite.” Ribéry continued to sit out four more league matches, but then assisted two goals in two matches against Freiburg and Werder Bremen. Ribéry then suffered a thigh injury after suffering a muscle strain in team training. In the German Cup quarterfinals, the club faced Schalke, and Ribéry assisted two goals for Robert Lewandowski in the club’s 3-0 victory. Ribéry said after the match, “I’m happy. This was my first game in a month.” Ancelotti said, “Ribéry played well, and I’m happy for him. He’s fit and was able to play without any problems for more than an hour.” Alaba called him a machine and said, “He was out injured, but he came back to make an amazing effort after such a long absence. It’s amazing how he works on the pitch. He even worked during his rehabilitation to be able to celebrate such a comeback against Schalke.” Lewandowski said the day after the match, ” We understand each other very well, even off the pitch. He’s an amazing player. It’s always fun to play with him, and something can always happen.” Mats Hummels was asked about the possibility of replacing Ribéry, and he said, “There’s no way.” He always performs well when he’s on the pitch. It’s always a shame for us when he’s not there. Whenever he’s there, it’s always an incredible improvement and an advantage. Then, Ribéry scored against FC Köln with his first touch in the 23rd round. Bayern qualified for the Champions League quarterfinals after defeating Arsenal in the round of 16 on aggregate, 10-2. In three league matches, Ribéry contributed only one goal. In the 28th round, Bayern faced Borussia Dortmund, and Ribéry scored with his first touch after just four minutes . Ribéry also set up another goal for Arjen Robben. Bayern were eliminated from the Champions League after losing to Real Madrid over two legs, 6-3. In the DFB-Pokal semifinal, Bayern faced Borussia Dortmund, and the club lost 3-2. Ribéry contributed two goals in three rounds and scored a goal in the final round of the league against Freiburg. Bayern finished the league in first place with 82 points, ahead of promoted Leipzig with 67 points. Bayern played in the German Super Cup against Borussia Dortmund and won 7-6 after a penalty shootout. In the first round of the German Cup, Bayern faced Chemnitz and won 5-0. Ribéry assisted and scored a beautiful goal from a free kick. Ribéry participated in five league matches but unfortunately did not contribute any goals. In the seventh round, Bayern faced Hertha Berlin and Ribéry was substituted in the 63rd minute after suffering a knee injury. The new sporting director of the club said: Bayern Munich Hasan Salihamidzic: Franck is suffering from severe pain. We hope it’s not serious. The injury is a torn lateral ligament in the knee, and he was out for six weeks . After returning from injury, Ribéry played just one minute against Hannover. Ribéry then became the non-German player with the most appearances for Bayern Munich, with 235 matches, surpassing Hasan Salihamidzic’s 234. In the Champions League, Bayern were drawn in a group with Belgian club Anderlecht, Celtic, and Paris Saint-Germain. Bayern qualified from the group stage in second place with fifteen points, behind Paris, who were the same number of points, and ahead of Paris on goal difference. Unfortunately, Ribéry only participated in two matches. In the sixteenth round, Bayern faced FC Köln. Despite Ribéry not contributing in this match, he broke the record for the most non-German appearances for Bayern Munich in all competitions, with 366 appearances, surpassing Hasan Salihamidžić’s 365. Ribéry did not contribute to a goal for another round. In the eighteenth round, Bayern faced Bayer Leverkusen, in which Ribéry scored his first league goal since the start of the season. In the twenty-first round, Bayern faced Mainz, and Ribéry scored a wonderful goal with his first touch. Ribéry did not contribute in three rounds, missing one, but in the twenty-sixth round, Ribéry scored two beautiful goals. During this period, Ribéry stated that he would move to a club in the American League or the Chinese League once his time with Bayern Munich ended. Bayern qualified for the Champions League quarter-finals after defeating Turkish club Besiktas 8-1 in both legs. In the 28th round, Bayern faced Borussia Dortmund. To be honest, there’s doubt whether Ribéry created one goal and scored the other, or both, but it was considered Ribéry’s best game of the season. Bayern qualified for the semi-finals after defeating Sevilla, with Ribéry creating the winning goal in the first leg. Bayern won 2-1 in both legs. In the semi-finals, Bayern faced Real Madrid, but were eliminated 4-3. After the penultimate round of the league, which Ribéry missed due to injury, Ribéry renewed his contract until the summer of 2019. Ribéry said, “I’m very happy to play for another year at this great club.” Munich has now become a home for me and my family, and I am very proud to wear the FC Bayern Munich shirt next season. Sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic said: ” We are delighted that Franck will remain with us. This season, Franck has once again demonstrated his high quality and the outstanding performances he can deliver in the Bundesliga, Champions League, and DFB-Pokal . Furthermore, he is one of our fans’ favorites.” Bayern finished first in the league with 84 points, ahead of Schalke 04 with 63. Bayern qualified for the DFB-Pokal final after Ribéry contributed two goals in the previous round, but Bayern lost 3-1 to Eintracht Frankfurt. FourFourTwo ranked Franck Ribéry 87th among the 101 best players since the newspaper’s inception in the summer of 1994. At the beginning of the new season, Bayern played in the German Super Cup, facing Eintracht Frankfurt. Unlike last season’s German Cup final, the club defeated Frankfurt 5-0, and Ribéry won the German Super Cup. In the first round of the league, Bayern faced Hoffenheim, and Ribéry assisted a goal for Robert Lewandowski in the club’s 3-1 victory. Ribéry did not contribute a goal for nine consecutive rounds, missing two. In the Champions League, Bayern were drawn in a group with AEK Athens, Benfica, and Ajax. In the penultimate round of the Champions League group stage, Bayern faced Benfica, and Ribéry scored with his first touch in the club’s 5-1 victory. In the fourteenth round, Bayern faced Nuremberg, and Ribéry scored with his first touch . Two rounds later, Ribéry scored the decisive goal against Leipzig. In the following round, Ribéry scored twice against Eintracht Frankfurt. Ribéry did not contribute for three rounds and missed four. In the twenty-fifth round, Bayern faced Wolfsburg, and Ribéry made three goals for Thomas Müller, Joshua Kimmich, and Robert Lewandowski in the club’s 6-0 victory. In the Champions League round of 16, Bayern faced Liverpool and lost 3-1 and were eliminated from the tournament. Ribéry did not contribute for four rounds and missed two. However, in the thirty-second round, Bayern faced Hannover, and Ribéry scored a goal that he considered his farewell . Ribéry said: When I came to Bayern Munich, it was a dream come true. It won’t be easy to say goodbye, but we must never forget what we have achieved together. We have won a lot together. Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: Frank Arjen and Robben are two great players. “Arjen Robben would have left that same summer.” Bayern Munich owes them a lot and will bid them a wonderful and emotional farewell. They helped shape Bayern Munich’s most successful decade of fantastic football. Bayern faced Eintracht Frankfurt on the final matchday of the league, and Ribéry scored Bayern’s farewell goal. The final matchday was decisive in Bayern’s victory in the Bundesliga title, as they finished the season in first place with 78 points, ahead of Borussia Dortmund with 76 points. This was Ribéry’s ninth title, making him the most decorated player in Bundesliga history, surpassing the seven Bayern players who have won the title: Mehmet Scholl, Oliver Kahn, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm, Arjen Robben, Thomas Müller, and David Alaba. After Ribéry had previously announced his departure this summer, he said: “When I was young, I was told that time goes by very quickly, so I have to enjoy it. Now I am 36. What happened? It has been a great time for me and my family. The club will never forget what I did for them, but I will never forget what the club did for me either.” Ribéry also said: “I have to be honest, I don’t know what I will do next season . There are a few options, but it is too early. I might play for another year or two, but after that I will 100% return to Munich. My family and I feel at home here.” On May 25, Ribéry played his final match for Bayern Munich, the DFB-Pokal final against RB Leipzig. Ribéry featured for the final three minutes of the match. Fortunately for Ribéry, his last two matches with the club also marked his last two titles with the club, as Bayern defeated Leipzig 3-0. Ribéry won his 24th title with Bayern Munich, more than any other player. He also appeared in eight DFB-Pokal finals, more than any other player. Ribéry didn’t leave Bayern empty-handed, however. On May 31, he won the Goal of the Month award for May for his goal against Eintracht Frankfurt in the final round of the league. On August 21, Ribéry moved to Fiorentina on a free transfer, saying: “I’m happy. Fiorentina is a great team in a beautiful city.” In the first three rounds of the league, Ribéry did not contribute a single goal, and Fiorentina lost two matches. In the fourth round, Fiorentina faced Atalanta, and Ribéry scored a beautiful goal in a 2-2 draw. Ribéry assisted a goal against Sampdoria and scored another beautiful goal against Milan. After Fiorentina lost to Lazio in the ninth round, 2-1, Ribéry pushed an assistant referee after the final whistle and was subsequently suspended for three matches and fined €20,000. Ribéry later apologized, saying, “I apologize to my teammates, the coach, and the fans. I also apologize to the assistant referee, Mr. Passeri, because at the end of the match I was very upset. I hope he can understand my mood.” He participated in two matches after his return. In the second round, against Lecce, Ribéry was substituted at halftime due to an ankle injury. Ribéry was out for 12 weeks due to injury and returned in the 27th round against Brescia in a 1-1 draw. In the 28th round, Fiorentina faced Lazio, and Ribéry scored a wonderful goal, but unfortunately, the club lost 2-1. Ribéry participated in eight rounds and contributed only one goal. Fiorentina finished the season in tenth place with 49 points. In the second round of the new season, Fiorentina faced Inter Milan, and Ribéry assisted two goals for Gaetano Castrovilli and Federico Chiesa. In fourteen rounds of the league, Ribéry contributed only two goals. In the 20th round of the league, Ribéry scored a wonderful goal against Torino. Ribéry then missed three rounds due to injury, and even in the second round after his return, Ribéry was suspended for one round after receiving a yellow card against Roma. In the first round after Ribéry’s return, he assisted a goal against Benevento. In the following round, he scored with his first touch against Milan. However, in the next round, Ribéry was sent off and suspended for one round . After his return, Ribéry contributed only one goal in seven rounds. Fiorentina finished the league in thirteenth place with forty points. Ribéry then moved to newly promoted Salernitana on a free transfer and signed a one-year contract with the possibility of automatic renewal if certain sporting conditions were met. Ribéry did not contribute any goals in his first four rounds, but in rounds nine and ten of the league, he assisted two goals against Empoli and Venezia. Ribéry missed twelve rounds and another seven due to injury. However, in round thirty-two, Ribéry assisted a goal for Ivan Radovanovic. In the thirty-sixth round, Salernitana faced Cagliari, and although Ribéry remained on the bench, he was sent off after a quarrel between the two clubs. After Simone Verdi scored a goal for Salernitana from a penalty kick and was suspended for the next match, Salernitana finished the league in 17th place with 31 points. At the start of the new season, Ribéry participated in the first round of the Coppa Italia against Parma, a defeat by two goals that led to their elimination from the competition. In the first round of the league, Salernitana lost 1-0 to Roma, but after that, Ribéry missed nine league rounds due to ankle inflammation. On October 21, Ribéry announced his retirement from football due to a knee injury. Ribéry said on Twitter: ” Football stops, but the feelings inside me don’t. Thanks to everyone for this wonderful adventure .” He also said: “I have no choice but to stop playing.” In another post, he said: ” I already miss it. Football, the pitch, the stadiums, you fans. And yet I know I’ll always be there. Also in the future. Football and me. This simply belongs together.” And he always will be. FC Bayern Munich Honorary President Uli Hoeness said: “Franck Ribéry is one of the greatest players FC Bayern has ever produced. The fans have always loved his straightforward and impudent style on the pitch. You could always see in him and in his game that he felt at home at FC Bayern and in Munich. I got to know Franck as a great player and a trusted friend. Well done and thank you, Franck!” Hasan Salihamidzic said: “Franck had a fantastic career and gave a lot to football. There is always talk about football needing personalities, and Franck was one of the biggest personalities in world football. You can’t have too many like him, so he will be missed. FC Bayern is still grateful to him today. Looking back, signing Franck in 2007 was the foundation for FC Bayern’s rise to consistently become one of the best clubs in Europe.” Franck was a master on the ball, a great fighter, and a joker. He always put his soul into the game and gave his all for our club. He won everything possible with Bayern Munich: the Champions League, the Club World Cup, the treble, the Bundesliga, the DFB-Pokal, and the Super Cup. FC Bayern Munich will always be his home. In November 2023, FourFourTwo ranked Franck Ribéry 33rd as one of the best wingers in history. Ribéry retired after a career full of titles and filled with many exciting events, some of which were strange and exciting. He faced difficulties in his life and overcame them all to achieve his dream. Now, the Frenchman has retired after fulfilling his dream.