Ex-Bayern wing wing reveals that the leg is almost amputated and calls in 2013. Ballon d’O or ‘injustice’

Former French French player Franck Ribery revealed that he was close to the leg amputation at the end of his career because of the infection after surgery and admitted that he did not win the 2013 Balloon D’Or “remains” long -term injustice. “

Ribery, who spent 12 of his 22-year careers at Bayern Munich, withdrew from professional football 2022, after being limited 81 times for Les Blues.

The striker, known for his pace and cunning in the field, enjoyed the glittering magic in the German Giants, winning 23 trophies, including nine Bundesliga titles and the 2013 Champions League.

His career also included spells in Marseille and Fiorentina and was part of the French team that ended the winners at the 2006 World Cup, losing to Italy on penalties in the finals.

Pure nostalgie. #Fcbayern #Miasanmia pic.twitter.com/mcezmz2Q7

– FC Bayern Munich (@fcbayern) March 2, 2025

But the tail end of Ribery’s career was full of injuries, and speaking with the French output of L’Equipe, the 41-year-old revealed that he had almost lost his leg after suffering from the infection of eating meat that required surgery.

“My knee hurts more and more,” Ribery said. “I no longer trained between matches, but I was recovering to protect myself.

“I went under a knife in Austria. The surgery went well, with a plate inserted inside. But I had a bad infection almost five months later.

“They removed the plate, but the infection ate me. It was so bad that I had holes in my leg. I exclaimed Staphylococcus aureus.

“I was in an ambulance at the Hospital in Austria for 12 days. I was really scared. They could cut off my leg.”

Despite his great success in Germany, Ribery admitted that he was still bothering him with the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo at the D’Or 2013 Balloon.

The Frenchman was a key figure that year at the Bayern coaching campaign, when the voting period for the award was controversially extended to two weeks due to the obvious lack of voters who are eligible.

Ribery, who eventually ended the third behind Lionel Messi, said: “I had everything but that award that year.

“It was a perfect year; I couldn’t do better. That ballon d’u or there will always be a long -lasting injustice.

“I’m still looking for an explanation, although some have offered their undertaking. I will never understand why the vote delayed more than two weeks, when I led among journalists. If the vote had happened as it should, I would win BiH.”