Thomas Muller has caused quite a stir with a series of controversial opinions as he played a game picking players over others.
Muller played his final season as a professional and signed off in style as he helped Bayern Munich win the Bundesliga.
The German international has enjoyed an illustrious career, both for club and country and experience playing with some of the biggest names in football.
This is what makes his decision to pick former teammate Franck Ribery over one of Manchester United’s greatest players all the more interesting.
Thomas Muller picks Franck Ribery over Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo
Muller, who played alongside Franck Ribery for years, winning a number of trophies together, was asked to pick between Bundesliga and Premier League icons.
The German made a series of controversial picks. He picked David Alaba over Ashley Cole, Michael Ballack over Yaya Toure, Bastian Schweinsteiger over Steven Gerrard and Robert Lewandowski over Thierry Henry.
But perhaps the most controversial of the lot was him going with Ribery over Cristiano Ronaldo.
Picking his old teammate, he said: “Frerot, for sure I will go with you, Ribery!”
Comparing Franck Ribery’s stats with Cristiano Ronaldo’s
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest players in football history, having won five Ballon d’Or titles, five Champions Leagues, and over 800 career goals.
At Manchester United, he made 346 appearances, scoring 145 and assisting another 64 across all competitions.
Ribery, meanwhile, has enjoyed a stellar career of his own. The Frenchman was a key part of Bayern Munich’s dominance throughout the 2010s.
He scored 124 goals and assisted another 182 in 425 games across all competitions for Bayern Munich, playing a key role in helping them win nine Bundesliga titles and a Champions League in 2013.
He also missed out on winning the Ballon d’Or in 2013, a year many believed he should have won.
Player | Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Goal Contributions |
Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United | 346 | 145 | 64 | 209 |
Franck Ribery | Bayern Munich | 425 | 124 | 182 | 306 |
Muller choosing Ribery is based on the Frenchman’s influence at Bayern and their deep personal connection on and off the pitch.
But one just cannot disregard Ronaldo’s contributions and his dominance in world football.