Ribery named European player of the season

Bayern Munich’s French winger Franck Ribery on Thursday won the award for European player of the 2012/13 season.

The France international becomes the third player to win the award, the two previous winners being Barcelona duo Lionel Messi (2011) and Andres Iniesta (2012).

Ribery won the award this time around ahead of Messi and Real Madrid’s Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 74-time capped Ribery was an essential cog in Bayern’s charge to last season’s historic treble

of the Champions League crown, the Bundesliga title and the German Cup.

Messi scored 69 goals last season and won the Spanish title, while Ronaldo rattled in 59 goals but only won the Spanish Supercup.

Ribery, meanwhile, scored 10 goals in 27 Bundesliga appearances as well as once on Bayern’s run to becoming European champions for the fifth time.

He also set up Arjen Robben’s decisive goal in the 2-1 final win against Borussia Dortmund.