![Munich's Franck Ribery tussles with Barcelona's Lionel Messi during the League Cup Semi Final 1st Leg match between Bayern Munich and Barcelona at the Allianz Arena in Munich on April 23, 2013. Munich's Franck Ribery tussles with Barcelona's Lionel Messi during the League Cup Semi Final 1st Leg match between Bayern Munich and Barcelona at the Allianz Arena in Munich on April 23, 2013.](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2GH93HK/munichs-franck-ribery-tussles-with-barcelonas-lionel-messi-during-the-league-cup-semi-final-1st-leg-match-between-bayern-munich-and-barcelona-at-the-allianz-arena-in-munich-on-april-23-2013-picture-david-klein-2GH93HK.jpg)
Munich's Franck Ribery tussles with Barcelona's Lionel Messi during the League Cup Semi Final 1st Leg match between Bayern Munich and Barcelona at the Allianz Arena in Munich on April 23, 2013.
![Fifa Ballon d'Or: Who should win the award - Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Franck Ribery? | The Independent | The Independent Fifa Ballon d'Or: Who should win the award - Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Franck Ribery? | The Independent | The Independent](https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2014/01/13/12/ronaldo-messi-ribery.jpg?width=1200)
Fifa Ballon d'Or: Who should win the award - Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Franck Ribery? | The Independent | The Independent
![Bavarian Tweets on Twitter: "Ribery vs. Messi (2013) and Ribery vs. Ronaldo (2019) Ribery may be six years older in the second photo but he's just as badass https://t.co/S5LGMxlUlp" / Twitter Bavarian Tweets on Twitter: "Ribery vs. Messi (2013) and Ribery vs. Ronaldo (2019) Ribery may be six years older in the second photo but he's just as badass https://t.co/S5LGMxlUlp" / Twitter](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EElHGeZXoAI-fsI.jpg)
Bavarian Tweets on Twitter: "Ribery vs. Messi (2013) and Ribery vs. Ronaldo (2019) Ribery may be six years older in the second photo but he's just as badass https://t.co/S5LGMxlUlp" / Twitter
![Bayern & Germany on Twitter: "Lionel Messi has named Franck Ribéry and Arjen Robben amongst the 6 toughest opponents he's ever faced http://t.co/JoNW6rvwmK" / Twitter Bayern & Germany on Twitter: "Lionel Messi has named Franck Ribéry and Arjen Robben amongst the 6 toughest opponents he's ever faced http://t.co/JoNW6rvwmK" / Twitter](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGpreQNW0AEWDf5.jpg)
Bayern & Germany on Twitter: "Lionel Messi has named Franck Ribéry and Arjen Robben amongst the 6 toughest opponents he's ever faced http://t.co/JoNW6rvwmK" / Twitter
![Franck Ribery: I turned down Real Madrid because Bayern Munich said I was their 'Lionel Messi' - Mirror Online Franck Ribery: I turned down Real Madrid because Bayern Munich said I was their 'Lionel Messi' - Mirror Online](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article1864580.ece/ALTERNATES/n615/Barcelona-v-FC-Bayern-Muenchen-UEFA-Champions-League-Semi-Final-Second-Leg.jpg)
Franck Ribery: I turned down Real Madrid because Bayern Munich said I was their 'Lionel Messi' - Mirror Online
![Franck Ribery named European player of the season ahead of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo | Football News Franck Ribery named European player of the season ahead of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo | Football News](https://s.ndtvimg.com/images/stories/ribery_300_messi_player_season.jpg)
Franck Ribery named European player of the season ahead of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo | Football News
![Fifa Ballon d'Or: Who should win the award - Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Franck Ribery? | The Independent | The Independent Fifa Ballon d'Or: Who should win the award - Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Franck Ribery? | The Independent | The Independent](https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2014/01/13/13/rib-stats.jpg)
Fifa Ballon d'Or: Who should win the award - Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Franck Ribery? | The Independent | The Independent
Fanzine Football - Franck Ribery: "Personally, I think that myself and Robben at some point were better than Cristiano and Messi. However, they played in the El Clasico. So that worked on
![Franck Ribery: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi always win the Ballon d'Or... Bayern Munich players should consider not going | Daily Mail Online Franck Ribery: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi always win the Ballon d'Or... Bayern Munich players should consider not going | Daily Mail Online](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/scaled/2015/01/24/2397B45300000578-0-image-a-40_1422096155161.jpg)
Franck Ribery: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi always win the Ballon d'Or... Bayern Munich players should consider not going | Daily Mail Online
![Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery battle for the ball during the UEFA Champions League Soccer match, Quarter Final, First Leg, FC Barcelona vs Bayern Munich at Camp Nuo stadium Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery battle for the ball during the UEFA Champions League Soccer match, Quarter Final, First Leg, FC Barcelona vs Bayern Munich at Camp Nuo stadium](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2E43W23/barcelonas-lionel-messi-and-bayern-munichs-franck-ribery-battle-for-the-ball-during-the-uefa-champions-league-soccer-match-quarter-final-first-leg-fc-barcelona-vs-bayern-munich-at-camp-nuo-stadium-of-barcelona-spain-on-april-8-2009-fc-barcelona-defeated-bayern-munich-4-0-photo-by-steeve-mcmayabacapresscom-2E43W23.jpg)
Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery battle for the ball during the UEFA Champions League Soccer match, Quarter Final, First Leg, FC Barcelona vs Bayern Munich at Camp Nuo stadium
![Franck Ribery Receives Further Accolade Behind Lionel Messi as Top Big-5 Player | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors | Bleacher Report Franck Ribery Receives Further Accolade Behind Lionel Messi as Top Big-5 Player | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors | Bleacher Report](https://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/002/328/927/hi-res-169508769_crop_exact.jpg?w=1200&h=1200&q=75)