UEFA Best Player of the Year and UEFA Super Cup Man of the Match Franck Ribery of Bayern Munich said his side has found new motivation under new boss Pep Guardiola and this despite the fact that the club dominated last season with victories in the Champions League, the Bundesliga and the German Cup.

Ribery was speaking to journalists (panel of voters) at the end of the Awards Ceremony in Monaco last Thursday, one day ahead of the team’s penalty shootout win against Chelsea in Prague in the UEFA Super Cup.

Ribery, who obtained an impressive 36 votes, well ahead of second placed Lionel Messi who got 14 and Ronaldo with just three votes, showered praise on his Bayern team-mates, coach Jupp Heynckes, his family, the club’s administrators and the fans . “Without all those we would not have had such a fantastic year. The last 12 months have been certainly memorable. It all started with that unlucky final we lost to Borussia Dortmund in the German Cup. And that was somehow repeated this year when they beat us in the German Super Cup.

“But those defeats helped us to start afresh. We worked harder and we were all well motivated. That was the main reason for our very good season where we obtained a lot of positive results. The solidarity between us was something excellent,” he said.

The France international is the third player to win this award after Andrés Iniesta (2011/12) and Messi (2010/11. He said: "It’s always a dream to win this trophy; it’s a special moment for me to be here this evening. It is a special thing to win trophies like this, knowing that you are one of the three nominated players along with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. It is flattering to be alongside those two great players."

Ribery went on to answer questions about Bayern’s new coach Pep Guardiola saing that the Spaniard is another excellent coach and he was sure that the former Barcelona boss will be making some changes to the side to get new motivation for the players. “For example, he has been telling me that I am capable of scoring more goals – that is that he wants from me and I will be doing my very best to please him. But, of course, I can also work for the others to score goals as well,” he added.

The France ace added: “Guardiola at Bayern could be as successful as he was at the Nou Camp. Of course, we have to work together and he have to remain calm and relaxed to continue enjoying success.”

Ribery also praised Bayern bosses Uli Hoeness and Karl Heinz Rummenigge. “They have turned the club into one of the greatest clubs in the world. The results of the last 12 months go on to confirm that we are there to win,” he said.

The trio of Messi, Ribéry and Ronaldo had formed the shortlist after their selection by a poll of journalists from each of UEFA's member national associations. Fifty-two of the 53 journalists chosen to participate by the European Sports Media association were present, with the vote from the journalist representing Lithuania cast by email to the independent auditors, Ernst & Young.