Could Franck Ribery miss out on the Ballon d'Or?
The Frenchman was the favorite to take home the prize after initial voting closed on Nov. 15. However, the latest deadline could ultimately cripple his chances of winning the biggest individual award of the year.
In all fairness, Ribery has done everything right to win the prize. He led Bayern Munich to three trebles in 2013-14. He scored 10 goals and 14 assists in the Bundesliga championship and then scored one goal and two assists in the team's Champions League run; he was particularly effective in the two legs against Barcelona in which he confounded defender Gerard Pique time and again on the left flank. He also scored two assists in the German Cup.
Ribery has been terrific for Munich in the 2013-14; he has actually been better in many cases. Through 11 Bundesliga matches, Ribery has four goals and six assists. In the Champions League he already has three goals in four matches.
Not to be overlooked is his strong performances for France in the World Cup qualifiers, he scored three goals and one assists in five matches for France since September and was instrumental in securing the team's 3-2 aggregate win over the Ukraine in two matches.
The Bayern Munich contingent has rallied around Ribery to campaign for his candidacy. However, the new FIFA rules coupled with the continued emergence of Cristiano Ronaldo may have undone his bid.
Prediction: Ribery finishes in second place.
Does Ribery deserve the award more than Ronaldo?