France must not be scared, says in-form Franck Ribery
Franck Ribery believes he is having the best year of his career and says France should not be scared by the prospect of their two-legged World Cup playoff against Ukraine.
|Last Updated: Nov 12, 2013, 09:42 AM IST|Source: Reuters
Paris: Franck Ribery believes he is having the best year of his career and says France should not be scared by the prospect of their two-legged World Cup playoff against Ukraine.
The 30-year-old Ribery, widely regarded as one of the main contenders for the FIFA Player of the Year award, is expected to be France`s main weapon when they visit Ukraine on Friday.
The winger was in the French squad which needed a controversial goal to draw 1-1 at home against Ireland thanks to Thierry Henry`s `handball` goal and qualify for the 2010 World Cup.
But Ribery, who has scored four times and set up four more of the team`s last 13 goals, said France should not worry about the pressure.
"Playoffs have nothing to do with other matches and the environment will be difficult too but we`ll have to be relaxed, not to be scared," Ribery told a news conference at the team`s Clairefontaine training base, near Paris.
"We have not to do things by halves. We have to go there to win," he added.
"We have not to tell ourselves that there`s a return leg ... we have to tell ourselves that we have the team to win there and go for it."
In-form Ribery, who played a key role in Bayern Munich`s unprecedented treble last season, said he has reached the peak of his playing career.
"I really am at my peak," he said. "It really is my year."
With 78 international caps to his name, a record that makes him the most experienced player in France`s 24-man squad, Ribery knows he has to be a leader on and off the pitch.
"When you turn 30, you have more experience, you are more serene, you know how to handle some situations," he said.
"I have always been under pressure. But I will do everything I can to be at my best in the two legs, to make the players fell comfortable."
Ribery recognised that his chances of being the first Frenchman since Zinedine Zidane to be voted Player of the year would be boosted if France qualify for next year`s tournament in Brazil.
"The Ballon d`Or is something that makes me dream. But I say to myself `play your game, just do two good games and when France will be in Brazil, it will be good for you`," he said.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.