Franck Ribéry
A dynamic winger who scored goals from distance and reached back-to-back Coupe de France finals with Marseille.
Franck Ribéry joined Olympique Marseille in June 2005 on a five-year contract, reuniting with former manager Jean Fernandez. The move came after a controversial departure from Galatasaray, where Ribéry argued he had not been paid his wages and asked FIFA to invalidate his contract. FIFA ruled in Ribéry's favor in July 2005, and the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed Galatasaray's appeal in April 2007, declaring Ribéry had terminated his contract on just grounds. At Marseille, Ribéry was handed the number 7 shirt and made his debut on 30 July 2005 in a 2–0 defeat to Bordeaux.
- Role
- Left Winger / Attacking Midfielder
- Affiliation
- Olympique Marseille
- Nationality
- French
- Status
- Retired from Professional Football
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Ribéry's first season at Marseille saw him score his first goal for the club on 17 September 2005 in a 2–1 victory over Troyes. Two weeks later, he netted in back-to-back matches against his former club Metz and Nice. On 19 November 2005, Ribéry scored the game-winning goal in a 2–1 win over Nantes from almost 35 metres out, later voted goal of the season by supporters. In the Coupe de France, he scored a double against Le Havre and the opening goal in Marseille's 3–1 semi-final victory over Rennes, pushing the club to the 2006 final where they lost 2–1 to Paris Saint-Germain. In Europe, Ribéry scored two goals in the UEFA Intertoto Cup against Lazio and Deportivo de La Coruña, plus one goal in the UEFA Cup against Bolton Wanderers. He was named the UNFP Young Player of the Year for the 2005–06 season.
In Their Own Story
The 2005–06 season at Marseille saw Ribéry make an immediate impact. On 19 November 2005, with the score tied against Nantes, Ribéry received the ball and struck from almost 35 metres out, the ball flying into the net for the game-winner. Supporters later voted it goal of the season. In the Coupe de France, he scored a double against Le Havre and then opened the scoring in the semi-final against Rennes, a 3–1 victory that sent Marseille to the 2006 final. Though Marseille lost 2–1 to Paris Saint-Germain in the final, Ribéry had established himself as a key player. His performances earned him the UNFP Young Player of the Year award.
Reader's Guide
Ribéry's time at Marseille spanned two seasons, from 2005 to 2007. He helped the club reach the Coupe de France final in back-to-back seasons, though they lost both times. In his first season, he scored goals from distance, including a 35-metre strike against Nantes voted goal of the season. He also contributed in European competition, scoring in the UEFA Intertoto Cup against Lazio and Deportivo de La Coruña, and in the UEFA Cup against Bolton Wanderers. Following the 2006 FIFA World Cup, a bidding war occurred for his services, leading to his move to Bayern Munich in 2007 for a then club-record fee of €25 million.
Did You Know?
- Ribéry scored a goal from almost 35 metres out for Marseille against Nantes on 19 November 2005, later voted goal of the season by supporters.
- He scored a double against Le Havre in the Coupe de France during the 2005–06 season.
- Ribéry was named the UNFP Young Player of the Year for the 2005–06 season.
- He scored two goals in the UEFA Intertoto Cup for Marseille, against Lazio and Deportivo de La Coruña.
- Ribéry's move to Marseille was controversial; FIFA ruled in his favor after he argued Galatasaray had not paid his wages.