Michel Platini

Le Roi: the king who ruled Europe's midfield with vision, free kicks, and three Ballons d'Or.

via Wikipedia: Michel Platini · see source

Michel Platini is a French football administrator and former player and manager, regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time. He won the Ballon d'Or three times in a row, in 1983, 1984 and 1985. During his career, Platini played for the clubs Nancy, Saint-Étienne, and Juventus. Nicknamed Le Roi ("The King") for his ability and leadership, he was a prolific goalscorer. 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.

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

Facts from the source article.

Background

Platini joined Juventus in 1982, inheriting the number 10 shirt from the recently departed Liam Brady. In a team featuring numerous members of Italy's victorious World Cup squad, he had a difficult introduction to Italian football, even coming close to leaving Italy in the winter of his first season. After he and teammate Zbigniew Boniek successfully called for a change in tactics, Juventus saw an upturn in their fortunes. They reached the 1983 European Cup final, losing to Hamburger SV, but won the Italian Cup.

Platini went on to win the Serie A title with Juventus in 1984 and 1986, the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1984 (setting up Vignola's opening goal in the 2–1 victory over Porto), the 1984 European Super Cup, the European Cup in 1985, and the 1985 Intercontinental Cup. He finished top scorer in Serie A for three consecutive seasons (1982–83, 1983–84, and 1984–85), and won a hat-trick of European Footballer of the Year awards (1983 through 1985).