Franck Ribery, a former winger for France and Bayern Munich, and Cristiano Ronaldo still have a simmering hatred. He was seen at the Allianz Arena on Sunday night when Portugal defeated Spain in a penalty shootout to win the 2025 Nations League title. Alvaro Morata’s crucial blunder was punished by Roberto Martinez’s team, who took two leads before winning their second Nations League trophy.
Many watched the match over the weekend to see if Lamine Yamal could improve his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or. Ronaldo also sparked controversy in the lead-up to the final by asserting that the Ballon d’Or has lost its honor in recent years and that the winner should have at least won the Champions League.
With reference to the widely held belief that he was unjustly passed over for football’s top individual award in 2013, despite leading Bayern Munich to a historic treble that included a Champions League final victory over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium, Ribery seemed to respond with a subtle jab (see his post below). When Ronaldo scored on Sunday night, Portugal supporters quickly made fun of him for his comments.
Portugal Fans Mock Franck Ribery After Ronaldo Goal
The Frenchman wasn’t going to get away without any sort of confrontation
Portuguese fans were spotted turning to Ribery to give him a pat on the back after Ronaldo scored in the 61st minute. In response, the Frenchman waved his arms at them before grabbing his phone and leaving the area to prevent more conflict. View the incident below:
Speaking candidly about his feelings of unfairness at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, Ribery has devoted a significant portion of his post-playing career to asserting that football politics were the only reason he was not awarded the medal 13 years ago. He finished third, behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, even though he thought he had done enough to take first place.
He is considered by many to be among the best football players who have never taken home the most coveted individual award in the game. His persistent comments, however, have come across as bitter grapes to many Real Madrid and Portugal followers, who frequently compare them to him dumping his toys out of the stroller.
He has undoubtedly received his share of criticism for his uncompromising position on the issue, and he could never have arrived at the Nations League final without engaging in some back and forth with those seated nearby.
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