Franck Ribery named French player of the year

Paris: Franck Ribery, who has been shortlisted for the prestigious FIFA-Ballon d`Or award, was named French Player of the Year on Tuesday by France Football magazine.

The Bayern Munich winger beat midfield duo Paul Pogba of Juventus and Paris St Germain`s Blaise Matuidi in a poll of past and present French players. "I now have to go get Thierry Henry`s record," Ribery, who has now won the prize three times to Henry`s five, told France Football. Ribery, who won the Champions League, the Bundesliga and the German Cup with Bayern this year, was named on a three-man shortlist for the FIFA-Ballon d`Or award on Monday along with Barcelona`s Lionel Messi and Real Madrid`s Cristiano Ronaldo. AS Roma`s Rudi Garcia, who joined the Serie A club from Lille during the close season and is unbeaten in 15 league matches, was named the best French coach for 2013 in a poll of current and former managers.