Henry tips Ribery for Ballon d'Or

Published Dec. 15, 2013 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry is backing Franck Ribery to collect the Ballon D'or as the world's best player next month.

Bayern Munich playmaker Ribery has been overlooked as a contender in some places owing to the belief that the award will be a two-man shoot-out between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ribery makes up the three-man shortlist as a Bundesliga and Champions League winner, though, and fellow Frenchman Henry believes he is worthy of taking the prize.

"Ribery is a great player, a different kind of player," said Henry, Arsenal's record all-time goalscorer and a World Cup winner with France.

"Franck is the kind of player you want to play with and obviously I would like him to win."

Henry has played with Messi and is also a fan of Ronaldo, and has spoken this week of the merits of either of them winning the award.

He insists, though, that despite that, he is not backing against his own man to take the prize on January 13.

"It's a shame to see that what I have said about the Ballon D'or has not been reported properly in France, but it goes without saying how much I would support Franck, my compatriot, to win," said the 36-year-old.