Ribery: Neuer or Robben deserve Ballon d'Or, but award clouded by 'politics'

Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery has, not surprisingly, thrown his support behind teammates Manuel Neuer and Arjen Robben for this year's coveted Ballon d'Or award, but is worried politics will conspire against the two men.

Both are on the shortlist for the award, which will be presented on Jan. 12, but are widely expected to fall short to either Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi. The former is considered the favorite to capture his second consecutive trophy. 

Ribery, though, thinks his teammates are more deserving.

"What can I say? For me, Manuel Neuer or Arjen Robben have to win it, there are only two views," he told Sport Bild. "Manu has won everything, is a good person, not arrogant. Arjen played an unbelievable last Bundesliga season and after that an excellent World Cup. 

"But I fear that there is still a lot of politics."

Ribery, who came third in the voting last year behind the aforementioned pair, claimed afterwards that he deserved to win the award ahead of Ronaldo.

- With translation from FOX Soccer