“Something Has Changed Since FIFA Took Over” – Platini Angry Because Ribery Didn’t Win Ballon d’Or

UEFA president Michel Platini, is of the opinion that the Ballon d’Or has gotten worse, wince FIFA started endorsing the prize.

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, was named the 2013 winner at a gala on Monday, ahead of Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery. It is the second time the Portuguese forward is taking home the award, but only the first time since the merger of France Football’s prize and FIFA World Player of the Year.

Platini feels Ronaldo deserves the award, but believes his compatriot Ribery should have won the Ballon d’Or, if the old format was still in use.


“Ronaldo is a beautiful Ballon d’Or winner, but I am very disappointed for Franck Ribery,” he told L’Equipe 21.

“Seriously, next year or the next again, it will come back to Messi or Ronaldo again. For 50 years, I think the Ballon d’Or took into account results and titles and this is no longer the case.

“I think if Franck didn’t win it in the year when he won all the titles, there is a problem, as was the case with the Spanish players in 2010.

“There is something that has changed in the Ballon
 d’Or since it went to Fifa.”

Platini himself won the award on three consecutive occasions from 1983-85.