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Marseille playmaker Franck Ribéry has become the first French footballer to be awarded two consecutive Player of the Month trophies.
Crowned for November, he also becomes the first player to receive the honour three times, having already climbed the podium while at Metz last season.
Ribéry received 58% of the vote in total - as cast by Canal Plus viewers, readers of L'Equipe and visitors to the players' union website – and came in ahead of Pedro Pauleta (36%) and Luigi Pieroni (6%).
Critics may say that Marseille's popularity as a club figured in the voting, as Ribéry had far less influence last month than he did in October, something he himself freely admits.
"Now our opponents know that in one-on-one situations it's easier for me to get past, but when there's two or three markers I find it difficult," he said. "They respect me and fear me more.
"I'm also suffering from tendonitis but I know that to really get over it I'd need three or four weeks off. I don't want to, though, I feel good and that's not an excuse."
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