Michel Platini
The King of French football, three-time Ballon d'Or winner and UEFA president.
via Wikipedia: Michel Platini · see source
Michel François Platini (born 21 June 1955) is a French football administrator and former player and manager. Regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Platini won the Ballon d'Or three times in a row, in 1983, 1984 and 1985, and came seventh in the FIFA Player of the Century vote. In recognition of his achievements, he was named a Knight of the Legion of Honour in 1985 and became an Officer in 1998. As the president of UEFA in 2015 he was banned from involvement in football under FIFA's organisation, over ethics violations. The ban lasted until 2023.
Quick Facts
- Office
- President of UEFA
- Took office
- 26 January 2007
- Left office
- 21 December 2015
- Predecessor
- Lennart Johansson
- Successor
- Ángel María Villar (acting); Aleksander Čeferin
- Birth name
- Michel François Platini
- Born
- 21 June 1955
- Birthplace
- Jœuf, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France
Lore & Background
Michel François Platini was born on 21 June 1955 in Jœuf, Meurthe-et-Moselle, the son of Aldo and Anna (née Piccinelli), both of Italian ancestry. Aldo was a professional footballer and a long-time director for AS Nancy, the club where Michel started his professional career. Platini played for Nancy, Saint-Étienne, and Juventus. He won the Serie A capocannoniere award three consecutive times between 1983 and 1985, and was the top scorer of Juventus's victorious 1984–85 European Cup campaign. Platini was a key player of the France national team that won the 1984 European Championship, a tournament in which he was the top scorer and best player, and reached the semi-finals of the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. Together with midfielders Alain Giresse, Luis Fernández and Jean Tigana, he formed the carré magique (magic square) of the French team in the 1980s. Platini was his country's record goalscorer until 2007, and held the record for most goals scored (9) in the European Championship until being surpassed by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2021, despite only appearing in the 1984 tournament. Following his retirement as a player, Platini was the France national team coach from 1988 to 1992, and was the co-organizer of the 1998 World Cup in France. In 2007, he became the first former player to be elected as the president of UEFA. He also held the positions of chairman of FIFA's Technical and Development Committee and vice-president of the French Football Federation.
Reader's Guide
Platini was quick to make a big impression at his new club, scoring a hat-trick in a reserve team match against Wittelsheim. He made his league debut against Nîmes on 3 May 1973. In March 1974, he sustained a double fracture of his left arm in a match at OGC Nice. Nancy won promotion back to Ligue 1 the following season. Platini won the first major trophy of his playing career, captaining Nancy to victory in the 1978 French Cup final against Nice and scoring the only goal of the game. He signed a three-year contract with Saint-Étienne in 1979. Platini won the French league title in 1981 with Les Verts, but was on a losing Saint-Étienne side in two French Cup finals. At Juventus, he inherited the number 10 shirt from Liam Brady. He won the Serie A title with Juventus in 1984 and 1986, the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1984, the 1984 European Super Cup, the European Cup in 1985 and the 1985 Intercontinental Cup.
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