Neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo: Franck Ribery reveals who should have won 2013 Ballon d'Or

Cristiano Ronaldo's unexpected Ballon d'Or victory over a decade ago has become a distant memory. However, that was when the Ballon d'Or's emphasis truly altered. Here, find out who Franck Ribery thinks should have ended up being the winner.

Since its inception in 1956, the Ballon d'Or has been the subject of much debate. A decade after winning the prize, many people are still baffled as to why Matthias Sammer was chosen instead of Ronaldo Nazario. In 2001, choosing Michael Owen over Raul was a more egregious error.

Since 2013, however, the prized award has altered forever. It was then that the number of social media followers a player had became more important than their on-field performance. 

It was that year, when the once-sought-after Ballon d'Or award became what we know today as a popularity contest. That season, both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had stellar seasons before the awarding ceremony. However, there is always one winner.

Who won the Ballon d'Or in 2013?

Once again, the now-former Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo was recognized as the world's best player, breaking Lionel Messi's grip on the award. Thus, the duopoly of dominance between the Messi and Ronaldo duo was born.

In that calendar year, the Argentine as well as third-placed Franck Ribery had 238 shots on target and 296 misses, compared to Ronaldo's 296. The Portuguese star also had a worse season than expected in terms of everything from accuracy and conversion to passes and completions to interceptions and fouls.

It didn't seem to matter, however, since the veteran star triumphed, demonstrating once and for all that a player's season quality might sometimes mean absolutely nothing. In 2013, Ribery was clearly the finest player on the globe, but he didn't even have the support of his own nation.

Who should have won it as per Franck Ribery?

The current Salernitana leader thinks he should have won the 2013 Ballon d'Or over Messi and Ronaldo. That year, he helped Bayern win the UEFA Champions League but it was Ronaldo who was awarded the coveted title. The Frenchman also said something wasn't right while deciding on the prize.

“It was unfair. it was an incredible season for me, and I should have won it. They extended the time for votes, and something strange happened. I felt that it was a political choice," the 39-year-old said in an interview with Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.