Former Bayern Munich and France winger Franck Ribery has revealed that he came close to having his leg amputated due to a severe post-surgery infection towards the end of his career.
Ribery, a nine-time Bundesliga champion who earned 81 caps for France, retired in 2022 following a 22-year professional career.
His final playing years were plagued by injuries, particularly during his stint at Italian club Salernitana.
Although his time in Serie A was largely unremarkable, it was there that Ribery endured one of the most harrowing experiences of his life.
Speaking to L’Equipe, the 41-year-old recounted how what initially seemed like a routine knee operation turned into a life-threatening ordeal.
“My knee hurt more and more,” Ribery explained. “I was no longer training between matches but rather recovering to protect myself.
“I went under the knife in Austria. The operation went well, with a plate inserted inside. But I had a bad infection almost five months later.”
The infection, which turned out to be Staphylococcus aureus, quickly escalated into a dangerous situation.
“They removed the plate, but the infection had eaten away at me. It was so bad that I had holes in my leg. I had contracted Staphylococcus aureus.
“I was in the emergency room at the hospital in Austria for 12 days. I was really scared. They could have cut off my leg.”
Following this health scare, Ribery decided to end his career, closing the chapter on an illustrious journey that saw him shine at clubs such as Galatasaray, Marseille, Fiorentina, and, most notably, Bayern Munich.
With the German giants, he scored 124 goals over 12 seasons and formed a formidable wing partnership with Arjen Robben.
Despite his many accolades, one moment still lingers in Ribery’s memory—the 2013 Ballon d’Or snub.
That year, he had been instrumental in Bayern’s historic treble, assisting in the Champions League final, winning the UEFA Best Player in Europe award, and scoring in the UEFA Super Cup.
However, the Ballon d’Or was ultimately awarded to Cristiano Ronaldo after the voting period was controversially extended by two weeks.
“I had everything except that award that year,” Ribery said. “It was the perfect year; I could not have performed any better. That Ballon d’Or will always be a lingering injustice.
“I am still searching for an explanation, although some have offered their takes. I will never understand why the vote was delayed by more than two weeks, when I was leading among journalists. If the voting had occurred as it should, I would have won.”
