The final verdict on who should win the Ballon d’Or

Franck Ribery

If trophies is a criteria then there is a clear favourite in Ribery who has won everything there is to win in club football this season

Supporters of Ribery, meanwhile, have a strong case and will point to the huge effect his performances over the year had on Bayern Munich becoming the most successful club in Europe. The 30-year-old Frenchman, named the UEFA Player of the Season, was the star performer as the German side won the treble of the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and the Champions League. While his 22 goals in 51 matches might be a low return in comparison to the other two finalist, his impact upon Bayern’s dominance as a team cannot be underestimated. He was also key to France’s second leg playoff qualification to 2014 World Cup.

But if Ribery gets the Ballon d’Or for winning the treble with Bayern Munich, then why not players from that club? Why not Arjen Robben, for his winning goal in the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund? Or why not Thomas Muller for three semifinal goals against Barcelona? Or Bayern captain Philipp Lahm? Becasue football is a team sport, team success should be a factor in choosing the winner, but not the only factor. Even if he was the best player in the world’s best team this year, that still doesn’t make him the world’s best footballer.