France’s reports claim that Franck Ribery, 39, is retiring from football.
Currently, the iconic winger is under contract with Serie A side Salernitana. He only made two appearances at season’s start and has been sidelined since with knee problems.
These issues now appear to have ended his career before he was ready. L’Equipe reportingBayern Munich legend, the legendary Bayern Munich player, will now retire.
Frenchman, a nine-time Bundesliga champion, also won a famed European treble in 2013 with Bayern and finished third. [23.36 per cent] in the Ballon d’Or running behind Cristiano Ronaldo [27.99 per cent]Lionel Messi [24.72 per cent].
Ribery and Arjen Robben formed an almost unstoppable pair on the wings of the Bavarian giants. Together, they terrorized defenses across the continent.
Ribery was quickly promoted to the Allianz Arena after he left in 2019. Fiorentina’s fan favoriteThen, he did the same at Salernitana, helping to stage an unlikely survival campaign for the side last season.
However this term he’s only started against Parma as his side’s captain in the Coppa Italia, before featuring in their Serie A opener at home to Roma on August 14.
After enjoying a fulfilling career, the 2006 World Cup runnerup expressed his intention to continue his playing in his 40s.
That’s now been scuppered though with L’Equipe saying ‘the pain took over,’ adding: “Ribery has undergone several examinations which have led to the same observation. His knees gave up.
“His cartilage rings hollow. The pain only increased to the point of saying stop.”
Salernitana have the smallest budget in Italy at just €45million [£39.5m] and weren’t expected to avoid relegation during 2021/22, let alone sign such an iconic player, but Ribery’s 23 appearances and three assists helped claim a 17th-placed finish.
Ribery will continue to be a club ambassador through the end-of-the season. It is the end of a great career that took him to France, Turkey, Germany, and Italy.
