SUMMARY
- Franck Ribery is a decorated former Bayern Munich soccer star.
- Ribery has a unique scar on his face since his childhood.
Even today, Franck Ribery’s legacy in soccer remains unparalleled! While the new crop of soccer fans might not be familiar with Ribery’s name, only the veterans remember how much Ribery terrorized goalkeepers and defenders during his time. While fans still remember Ribery’s trickery and goals, some also identify him by the unique scar on his face.
Franck Ribery started his professional soccer career playing for a French amateur club called FC Conti Boulogne. Ribery spent the initial few years playing at FC Conti Boulogne before joining Lille and then Boulogne. He made his first professional senior debut for Boulogne in the year 2000. He continued to play for a few more years in France before joining the Bundesliga titans Bayern Munich for a then-record fee of $27 million.
Ribery achieved major success at Bayern Munich, winning as many as nine Bundesliga titles and also a Champions League title. He made 425 appearances for Bayern Munich and managed to bag 124 goals and 182 assists. Unlike his club career, Ribery had an underwhelming international career. Ribery has 81 caps for Les Blues and has 16 goals. He also reached the final of the 2006 World Cup, when Italy defeated France.
Ribery left Bayern Munich in 2019 and bid farewell to the club that had been his home for twelve long years. Following his exit from the German giants, Ribery spent a couple of seasons at Fiorentina. The last club that Ribery played for in his career was the Italian side Salernitana. In a stint that was marred with recurring injuries, Ribery played for Salernitana for one year before finally announcing his retirement from soccer in October 2022.
The truth behind Franck Ribery’s scar
Not many people know that Franck Ribery survived a horrific accident during his childhood that permanently left scars on his face. Most fans have seen the marks on Ribery’s face, but not everyone knows the truth behind it. The former Marseille star has opened up about the incident in several interviews in the past and also revealed how the incident motivated him to strive for the success that he has achieved.
The accident occurred when Franck Ribery was still an infant. Unfortunately, Ribery and his parents were involved in a dangerous car accident that sent him crashing through the windshield. He suffered multiple injuries on his face that required as many as 100 stitches. He talked about the accident in Simon Kuper’s book, The Football Men: Up Close with the Giants of the Modern Game.
🗣️ “Being a kid and having a scar like I do is not easy. People look at you, criticise… my family suffered that. But my scar is what has given me my strength and character.”
Happy birthday to Franck Ribéry, who turns 41 today. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/GFkPlv6mdD
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) April 6, 2024
The ex-French international disclosed that, as a child, he was often treated differently and was even criticized for having scars on his face. He admitted that it hurt him that people recognized him for his scars and not for who he is or what he has achieved. However, Ribery always treated the scars as a gift from God and used them to channel his motivation. He said, “My scar is what has given me my strength and character.” A real-life hero indeed, Ribery serves as an inspiration to all!
Franck Ribery narrowly missed out on winning the Ballon d’Or once
Back in 2013, Franck Ribery played an instrumental part in Bayern Munich‘s historic treble-winning season. With 22 goals and 18 assists, Ribery was in pole position to win the 2013 Ballon d’Or. However, rather shockingly, Cristiano Ronaldo won the award that year, with Ribery finishing third behind Lionel Messi in second place. Even after a decade, the 2013 Ballon d’Or remains one of the biggest controversies in the history of soccer.
Over the years, the Ballon d’Or has been often accused of being a popularity contest rather than an award based on merit. There’s no doubt that the Ballon d’Or remains the most prestigious individual award in soccer. However, many feel that Ribery was robbed of the Ballon d’Or that year despite winning an unprecedented treble with Bayern Munich.
🗣️ Franck Ribéry: “The 2013 Ballon d’Or was the biggest robbery of my career. It was an injustice. There is a lot of politics involved.
I saw how Blatter was hugging Cristiano Ronaldo and how his entire family was there. I’m not stupid. It was clear FIFA wanted him to win it.”… pic.twitter.com/SNKhEZWdti
— Football Talk (@FootballTalkHQ) April 7, 2024
The 41-year-old opened up about losing out on the Ballon d’Or in an interview with L’Equipe in 2019. He said, “It’s the biggest injustice of my career. Not only for me but for many people. I say it with all humility because it is the truth.” While the Ballon d’Or remains controversial even to this day, it’s hard to argue that Ribery’s not winning the 2013 Ballon d’Or remains one of the biggest injustices in the history of soccer.