Franck Ribéry has been awarded the title of French Footballer of the Year, as announced by the weekly France Football on Tuesday. This honor comes just a day after FIFA revealed the three finalists for the 2013 Ballon d’Or, for which Ribéry is considered a favorite alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Ribéry, who secured a hat-trick of titles (Championship-Cup-Champions League) with Bayern Munich last season, received the award ahead of competitors Blaise Matuidi from PSG and Paul Pogba from Juventus Turin. The former Marseille player had previously won the UEFA Best Player of the Year award in August.
The anticipation now turns to whether Ribéry can achieve another hat-trick by winning the Ballon d’Or in January. While he is a strong contender, the competition from opponents Ronaldo and Messi is formidable.
