体坛英语新闻：Ribery, Hernandez share insights at Dubai sports summit

DUBAI, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery and Spain's international Xavier Hernandez from FC Barcelona revealed on Sunday at the 8th Dubai International Sports Conference their hopes and personal challenges for 2014.

French star Ribery said on the second and final day of the sports conference Bayern Munich reached the top of its success and that the team and its new coach Pep Guardiola were working hard to stay on top.

"Bayern Munich is like a big family club and every member of the club is proud of its magnificent time. We all do our job with a highly professional attitude," said the 30-year-old.

Bayern Munich won for the first time a treble of Bundesliga, German DFB Cup and Champions League. Ribery said Bayern Munich was keen on defending the Champions League title, adding that his motivation and enthusiasm to play for Munich was still at 100 percent

Xavier Hernandez said that Bayern Munich and German soccer in general had become very competitive in Europe, referring to FC Barcelona's loss to "the Reds", as Munich is nicknamed, in the Champions League semifinals in April 2013.

"That was a bitter defeat for FC Barcelona as we had, and still have, a fantastic team. Barcelona is more than a club, it is a philosophy," said Hernandez, a key member of two-time European champion and reinging World Cup champion team.

Ribery and Xavi, as Hernandez' supporters call the 33-year-old Spanish midfielder, agreed that respect towards teammates, opponents, the coach and the fans was most important.

"We are examples for millions of young aficionados and talented kids worldwide and we have to give a good example to them on the pitch and off the pitch," said Ribery.

The French winger who was accompanied on his trip to Dubai by his wife Wahiba, an Algerian national, said he admired the Algerian national team and called them "a very strong team".

He added that he was happy for Algeria that "Les Verts" qualified as the only Arab nation for the World Cup next year.

"I think the quality of Arabian football is on the rise in general and we will see more successful Arab national teams arising in the coming years," said the Frenchman.

Asked by a fan whom the two stars considered to be the greatest footballer, Hernandez answered "this is my teammate, Argentine's Lionel Messi", while Ribery opted for his countryman Zinedine Zidane who led France to the World Cup title in 1998 on home territory.

Ribery said 41-year old Zidane, who is of Algerian origin, was not a only a fantastic player but also a humble person. "Zizou taught me a lot and he was always ready to share the secrets of his talent and his winning spirit with his fellow teammates. I was fortunate to work with Zidane," he said.

Hernandez said he wished Ribery the best of luck for his nomination to win the FIFA Ballon d'Or 2013.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Ribery were three nominees for the Ballon d'Or. The winner will be announced on Jan. 13, 2014 at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich.