A survey conducted by Harris Interactive for Ici among 1,000 people revealed that Franck Ribéry is the third most disliked personality among the French. Despite being the only French player in the running for the FIFA Ballon d’Or and being highly regarded in Germany, Ribéry faces significant dislike in his home country. The survey showed that nearly one in two people surveyed (53%) expressed a dislike for the Bayern Munich midfielder.
This finding aligns with a previous survey conducted two months earlier in September, where 29% of respondents had a positive image of Ribéry, while 69% had a negative image. The negative sentiment was attributed to lingering memories of Ribéry’s behavior during the 2010 World Cup.
Despite his brilliant performances on the field, it seems that Ribéry has not been able to overcome the negative perception generated by past incidents. The upcoming announcement of the Ballon d’Or winner in January may influence public opinion and potentially change the narrative around Ribéry.
