Champions League winner and World Cup finalist Franck Ribery was in tears as he called time on his football career.
The 39-year-old began his career more than 20 years ago and has played top-flight football in France, Turkey, Germany and Italy. He was in France's starting line-up for the 2006 World Cup final against Italy, and became a European champion with Bayern Munich in 2013 before finishing third in the Ballon d'Or voting that year.
He joined Salernitana in 2021, helping the team keep their place in Serie A after promotion and playing twice at the start of this season. However, after knee issues became too much for him, the veteran made the difficult decision to hang up his boots.
Ribery was met with applause from fans as he walked out onto the Stadio Arechi pitch as Salernitana took on Spezia with Serie A. The emotions were plain to see, with the former Fiorentina star welling up as he came to terms with the fact that he had played his final game of professional football.
“I knew this was going to be a special day for me and it was wonderful being able to thank everyone, from the team to the President, the coach and the fans,” Ribery told DAZN (via Football Italia ). He will stay in Salerno after retiring, joining Davide Nicola's staff and said he feels he can bring a lot to the table.
“I stayed in Salerno because I am very happy here and get along well with everyone," he explained. "It was difficult when I realised that I would have to stop playing, but the club immediately made me this proposal, so I can stay close to the pitch."
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“In the last week I have been thinking a bit more about this moment, but the truth is that I don’t really come to it prepared," Ribery told La Gazzetta Dello Sport (via Football Italia ). Three months ago I was still feeling good. I had a great pre-season training camp, then the first pain in my knee after a triangular match in July.
“At the first league game against Roma I played through the pain. I’m not a fragile person, but for the next three days I couldn’t move. The doctors said it was very serious. I tried to recover. I couldn’t believe that I was being forced to retire. I would have liked to choose when to retire.
“Instead my football is over. The turn of the pitch will be a special and very difficult moment.”
Ribery revealed he had a consultation in Munich in the hope it would help him return to the game. It was only after the trip to Bavaria that he realised his career was over.
Upon returning to Salernitana, the club offered him the opportunity to stay in any role he wanted. As he said his goodbyes, the team recorded a 1-0 victory to climb into the top half of Serie A.
"I told my teammates that the hardest thing for me was not quitting, but not being able to help them every day," he added. “Instead I will continue to do so, in a city where football is lived the way I like it, with passion."
