Michel Platini

Platini was quick to make a big impression at his new club, scoring a hat-trick in a reserve team match against Wittelsheim. Further outstanding displays put him in contention for a place in the Nancy first team. His introduction to the first-team squad was inauspicious. On the substitutes' bench for a match against Valenciennes, Platini was spat on and hit by various objects thrown from the crowd when a fight broke out in the stands. Playing for the reserves a few days later, a hefty challenge from an opponent left Platini with a bad ankle injury. His season would finish on a more positive note, and he would go on to make his league debut against Nîmes on 3 May 1973.

In March 1974, he suffered a setback when he sustained a double fracture of his left arm in a match at OGC Nice. Platini missed the remainder of the season as a result, unable to assist Nancy in an unsuccessful bid to avoid relegation from Ligue 1. The following season saw Nancy win promotion back to the French first division with ease. Platini became the team's most important player, scoring 17 goals, a number of which were scored from free-kicks, as was becoming Platini's specialty. Saint-Étienne, the then reigning French league champions, were knocked out of the French Cup with two goals from Platini free-kicks. Platini practised his free-kicks with the help of his friend, goalkeeper Moutier, and using a row of dummies to form a defensive wall of sorts.

With Nancy back in Ligue 1, Platini's military service reduced his availability for matches, but he continued to make himself available to play when possible. In a match away to Laval, Platini, angered by the taunts of the home supporters, scored a hat-trick, but unluckily sustained another injury. Press reports claimed that Platini's season was over and that he would require a knee operation, but neither claim proved to be correct. Instead, Platini returned to first-team football two weeks later for Nancy's French Cup semi-final against Marseille at the Parc des Princes. Platini headed the only Nancy goal in their 4–1 loss and was forced to leave the field injured. Following his participation in the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Platini signed a two-year contract with Nancy, his first professional contract.

Before travelling to Argentina for the World Cup, 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. President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing presented him with the trophy. However, with the World Cup scheduled to start two weeks after the cup final, there was little time left for preparation.

Although Platini was not disgraced by his performances at his first World Cup, fans held him responsible for the French team's failure to progress in the tournament, and in the season that followed he was a target of jeering crowds. The situation came to a head in a match away to Saint-Étienne. Spurred on by booing fans, Platini competed for every ball, and he picked up a bad ankle injury in a tackle. As a result, he was ruled out of Nancy's Cup Winners' Cup campaign. His contract with the club expired in June 1979, and Internazionale, Paris Saint-Germain, and Saint-Étienne emerged as the clubs most likely to sign him, although the Nancy club president had been unwilling to let Platini leave the club. Having set his mind on a transfer to Saint-Étienne, he signed a three-year contract with les Verts.

In spite of his injuries and the boos that would greet him, Platini maintained his pranksterish sense of humour. On away trips, he would set off firecrackers in public places and then pretend to be dead, inevitably drawing a crowd. While in Argentina for the World Cup, he would squeeze tubes of toothpaste into his teammates' beds.

Platini's three years at Saint-Étienne were a mixed success. The club had signed him with a view to success in the European Cup, but despite some excellent results (including a 6–0 win over PSV in the 1979–80 UEFA Cup and a 5–0 win at Hamburger SV in the UEFA Cup the following season), the club were unable to surpass the feats of the Saint-Étienne side that had reached the final of the 1976 European Cup.

Platini won the French league title in 1981 with Les Verts, but was on a losing Saint-Étienne side in two French Cup finals, against Bastia in 1981 and against Paris Saint-Germain in 1982, in what was his last match for the club before joining Juventus. He left for a nominal transfer fee (under UEFA regulations) despite being out of contract and no fee being necessary under French regulations at the time.[10]

Platini holding aloft the Ballon d'Or in Juventus colours.

At Juventus, Platini inherited the number 10 shirt from the recently departed Liam Brady.[11][12] In a team featuring numerous members of Italy's victorious World Cup squad, Platini had a difficult introduction to Italian football. He was a target in the demanding Italian sports media, and even came close to leaving Italy in the winter of his first season. Platini and teammate Zbigniew Boniek successfully called for a change in tactics, and in the second half of the season Juventus saw an upturn in their fortunes. They reached the European Cup final, losing to Hamburger SV, but won the Italian Cup, the first of many club honours to follow for Platini in the coming seasons.

He won 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 Turin club's 2–1 victory over Porto in the final of the competition),[14][15] 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). He was also voted Player of the Year by World Soccer magazine in 1984 and 1985.

The 1985 European Cup final against Liverpool at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels should have been the crowning moment of Platini's Juventus career, but was instead overshadowed by the Heysel Stadium disaster in which 39 people died, and 600 more were injured. It was decided to proceed with the match in order to avoid inciting any further trouble, and after both captains had appealed for calm, the match began just under an hour and a half beyond schedule, with riot police still engaged in a pitched battle with Juventus fans. Platini scored the only goal of the match from a penalty kick, which had been controversially awarded for a foul just outside the area on Zbigniew Boniek, after the Frenchman had met his run behind the defence towards goal with a long ball.[17] In the days following the final, Platini was criticised in some quarters for his lack of restraint in celebrating Juventus' win. In his own defence, Platini maintained that he had not been made fully aware of the scale of the disaster. In the 1985 Intercontinental Cup final against Argentinos Juniors, Platini scored from a penalty during regulation time, also having another goal disallowed, and later assisted Michael Laudrup's equaliser; he subsequently netted the match-winning penalty in the resulting shoot-out, and was named Man of the Match.[18][19][20] Following the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, Platini spent another season at Juventus before retiring from football in June 1987.

Platini was a member of the French football team at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Their tournament began on 19 July with a 4–0 win over Mexico. They registered another 4–0 win in their next match against Guatemala, with two goals from Platini. The French team completed the group stage with a draw against Israel, Platini scoring from a penalty. France progressed to the quarter-final stage, where they would face a full-strength East German team. France lost 4–0 and finished the match with nine men.

Platini with France at the 1978 World Cup

With a 3–1 win over Bulgaria at the Parc des Princes on 16 November 1977, a match in which Platini excelled in the role of playmaker and scored with a strike from 30 yards, France secured qualification for the 1978 World Cup in Argentina for their first appearance in the World Cup finals since 1966. In the month following the decisive qualifying match, Platini finished third in the voting for the 1977 European Footballer of the Year.

Among the international friendlies France played in preparation for the World Cup, their match against Italy in Naples on 8 February 1978 (2–2) was particularly significant for Platini. With a number of scouts from Italian clubs in attendance, he was in excellent form. He beat Italian goalkeeper Dino Zoff from two direct free-kicks, the first being ruled out because the referee had not blown his whistle. The re-taken free-kick was blocked by the defensive wall, but minutes later Platini had the ball in the Italian net from another free-kick. Zoff attempted to anticipate the flight of the ball by positioning himself on the left side of the goal, only for Platini to find the unguarded area of the net with his free-kick, leaving Zoff rooted to the spot. Platini's duels with Zoff and his performance in a match that was broadcast on Italian television made him a name in Italy. A number of clubs both in France (Paris Saint-Germain and Saint-Étienne) and across Europe (Juventus, Internazionale, Napoli, Barcelona, Valencia, and Arsenal, to name a few) began the clamour for his services.

In retrospect, this match may have been a Pyrrhic victory because Platini's brilliance drew the attention of Italy coach Enzo Bearzot, who devised a successful plan to contain him in a match-up that really mattered—the first round of the 1978 World Cup four months later. Platini was kept in check by Marco Tardelli's implacable marking and Italy won 2–1. Drawn in a difficult group with Italy as well as hosts (and eventual winners) Argentina, France's loss to the hosts in Buenos Aires effectively ensured their elimination; France did not survive the first round.

Platini was nonetheless made captain of the French national side after the World Cup and made the number 10 jersey his own. One of his trademark free-kicks helped France defeat the Netherlands 2–0 in Paris (18 November 1981) in a crucial qualifying match for the 1982 World Cup in Spain.

France unexpectedly reached the semifinals of the 1982 World Cup where they met West Germany in Seville for what proved to be one of the great matches of World Cup history. German goalkeeper Harald Schumacher had collided with Patrick Battiston, leaving the Frenchman knocked-out cold, and the referee did not call a penalty, much to the anger of the French. With both sides level at 3–3 after extra time had been played (Platini having scored France's first goal of the game from a penalty) the match went to a penalty shoot-out which West Germany won 5–4. Platini considered this match the greatest memory of his career.

In 1984, Platini captained France to success in the European Championship on home soil. His individual impact on the tournament was huge with nine of France's 14 goals in just five games (the top goal scorer in Euro '84).

He scored the winner in France's opening match against Denmark, and scored one "perfect" hat-trick against Belgium as France topped their first-round group with three wins out of three. In the dramatic semi-final in Marseille against Portugal, Platini scored the final goal of the match for a memorable 3–2 win in the last minute of extra time.

In the final against Spain at the Princes Stadium in Paris, he opened the scoring with a free kick-goal, helped by a monumental blunder from Spain goalkeeper Luis Arconada. A second goal from Bruno Bellone in injury time at the end of the match secured France's first major title in international football.

Platini in the match v Canada at the 1986 World Cup

Suffering from groin pain and playing under injection, Platini was not in peak physical condition for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. Nonetheless he contributed two important goals. The first contributed to their 2–0 defeat of defending champions Italy at the Olimpico Stadium in Mexico City. The second came during the quarter-final match against Brazil in Guadalajara. After Careca scored for Brazil, Platini scored the equalizer, his 41st on his 31st birthday, which sent the game into a penalty shoot-out. France won 4–3, with Platini infamously sending his over the bar. This goal was to be the last of his international career. After losing a second World Cup semi-final in a row to West Germany in Guadalajara, France had to settle for third place. Platini did not take part in the 1982 or 1986 World Cup third-place matches.

Platini made his last appearance for France on 29 April 1987, in a European Championship qualifier at home to Iceland, a few weeks before announcing his retirement from all football. In 72 appearances for France from 1976 to 1987, including 49 appearances as captain, Platini scored 41 times, a record for the French national team, which has since only been surpassed by Thierry Henry after scoring his 42nd and 43rd national team goals against Lithuania in a Euro 2008 qualifying match on 17 October 2007.

Platini's last match came on 27 November 1988, when he came out of retirement for one day to play in an international friendly match representing Kuwait against the Soviet Union, at the request of the Kuwaiti Emir. Platini played a total of 21 minutes in the 2–0 loss to the Soviets. In doing so, Platini completed the rare feat of appearing for more than one country at full international level.[4]

Platini confirmed that he would run for the UEFA presidency in July 2006.[36] In the election in Düsseldorf on 26 January 2007, he defeated Lennart Johansson, who held the post for the previous 16 years, by 27 votes to 23.[37] Platini based his speech on virtues of solidarity and universality.

Michel Platini visiting the construction site of the Stadion Miejski, 2009

Platini has recently backed the 6+5 idea, six home-grown players and five foreign players to be introduced in top-flight teams in Europe. Platini has also backed caps on wages, transfer spending – both absolute and as a fraction of club turnover – and foreign ownership of clubs. He has stated that he wants to reduce the number of Italian, Spanish, and English teams that participate in the UEFA Champions League to a maximum of three instead of four.[38] This hasn't happened yet, but instead for the 2009–10 season, different routes were created for champions of smaller countries and non-champions of bigger countries. He has also talked about banning clubs from the competition based on the debts of the clubs.[39] Among his more contentious claims is that international transfer of players under 18 is in fact a form of illegal "child trafficking" and should be prohibited by the EU. "Paying a child to kick a ball is not that different from paying a child to work [...] in a factory," said Platini to members of the EU on 18 February 2009.[40]

Following Sepp Blatter's announcement in June 2015 that he would resign from the post of FIFA president amid the ongoing corruption scandal,[41][42] Platini announced in July that he would run for FIFA president in the 2016 special election.[43] However, on 7 January 2016, Platini announced that he would not be standing in the Fifa presidential election, saying "The timing is not good for me. I don't have the means to fight on equal terms with the other candidates. […] Bye bye Fifa, bye bye Fifa presidency."[44]

Following the ongoing corruption case, and after his announcement that in July he would run for FIFA president, Platini was also involved himself in the case. Swiss prosecutors accused FIFA president Sepp Blatter of making a "disloyal payment" of $2m (£1.6m) to Platini. Swiss attorney general, Michael Lauber, stated: "We didn't interview Mr Platini as a witness, that's not true. We investigated against him in between as a witness and an accused person."[45][46] Both Platini and Blatter were placed under formal investigation by FIFA's independent ethics committee in late September 2015.[47]

On 8 October 2015, Platini was provisionally suspended until 6 January 2016 from any football-related activity.[48] On 21 December, Platini and Blatter were both found guilty of ethics violations and barred from the sport until 2023.[5] The committee said Platini "did not show commitment to an ethical attitude" and lacked respect for laws and regulations of the organization.[49][50] Platini boycotted the hearing, and said he planned to appeal the decision, declaring himself "at peace with my conscience."[51][52][53][54] He appealed to Swiss courts, and to the European Court of Human Rights, but the courts rejected his appeals.[55]

Platini was also involved in the Greek public polemica regarding the 2015 Greek football scandal.[56][57][58]

In April 2016, Platini has been named in the Panama Papers.[59]

On 18 May 2018, Platini claimed that the 1998 FIFA World Cup draw was fixed to ensure France and Brazil could not face each other until the final if both teams won their groups.[60]

In June 2019, Platini was questioned over the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.[61]

[64] [65]

Scores and results list France's goal tally first.

Michel Platini – goals for France[65]
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	27 March 1976	Parc des Princes, Paris, France	Czechoslovakia	2–0	2–2	Friendly
2	1 September 1976	Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark	Denmark	1–1	1–1	Friendly
3	9 October 1976	Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria	Bulgaria	1–0	2–2	1978 FIFA World Cup qualification
4	17 November 1976	Parc des Princes, Paris, France	Republic of Ireland	1–0	2–0	1978 FIFA World Cup qualification
5	23 April 1977	Charmilles Stadium, Geneva, Switzerland	Switzerland	1–0	4–0	Friendly
6	16 November 1977	Parc des Princes, Paris, France	Bulgaria	2–0	3–1	1978 FIFA World Cup qualification
7	8 February 1978	Stadio San Paolo, Naples, Italy	Italy	2–2	2–2	Friendly
8	1 April 1978	Parc des Princes, Paris, France	Brazil	1–0	1–0	Friendly
9	19 May 1978	Stadium Nord, Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France	Tunisia	1–0	2–0	Friendly
10	6 June 1978	Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina	Argentina	1–1	1–2	1978 FIFA World Cup
11	5 September 1979	Råsunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden	Sweden	2–1	3–1	UEFA Euro 1980 qualification
12	10 October 1979	Parc des Princes, Paris, France	United States	1–0	3–0	Friendly
13	27 February 1980	Parc des Princes, Paris, France	Greece	2–1	5–1	Friendly
14	27 February 1980	Parc des Princes, Paris, France	Greece	3–1	5–1	Friendly
15	11 October 1980	Tsirio Stadium, Limassol, Cyprus	Cyprus	2–0	7–0	1982 FIFA World Cup qualification
16	11 October 1980	Tsirio Stadium, Limassol, Cyprus	Cyprus	3–0	7–0	1982 FIFA World Cup qualification
17	28 October 1980	Parc des Princes, Paris, France	Republic of Ireland	1–0	2–0	1982 FIFA World Cup qualification
18	14 October 1981	Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Republic of Ireland	Republic of Ireland	2–3	2–3	1982 FIFA World Cup qualification
19	18 November 1981	Parc des Princes, Paris, France	Netherlands	1–0	2–0	1982 FIFA World Cup qualification
20	23 February 1982	Parc des Princes, Paris, France	Italy	1–0	2–0	Friendly
21	21 June 1982	Estadio José Zorrilla, Valladolid, Spain	Kuwait	2–0	4–1	1982 FIFA World Cup
22	8 July 1982	Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville, Spain	West Germany	1–1	3–3(p)	1982 FIFA World Cup
23	10 November 1982	De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Netherlands	2–1	2–1	Friendly
24	7 September 1983	Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark	Denmark	1–1	1–3	Friendly
25	29 February 1984	Parc des Princes, Paris, France	England	1–0	2–0	Friendly
26	29 February 1984	Parc des Princes, Paris, France	England	2–0	2–0	Friendly
27	12 June 1984	Parc des Princes, Paris, France	Denmark	1–0	1–0	UEFA Euro 1984
28	16 June 1984	Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, France	Belgium	1–0	5–0	UEFA Euro 1984
29	16 June 1984	Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, France	Belgium	4–0	5–0	UEFA Euro 1984
30	16 June 1984	Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, France	Belgium	5–0	5–0	UEFA Euro 1984
31	19 June 1984	Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne, France	Yugoslavia	1–1	3–2	UEFA Euro 1984
32	19 June 1984	Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne, France	Yugoslavia	2–1	3–2	UEFA Euro 1984
33	19 June 1984	Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne, France	Yugoslavia	3–1	3–2	UEFA Euro 1984
34	23 June 1984	Stade Vélodrome, Marseille, France	Portugal	3–2	3–2	UEFA Euro 1984
35	27 June 1984	Parc des Princes, Paris, France	Spain	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 1984
36	13 October 1984	Stade Municipal, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg	Luxembourg	2–0	4–0	1986 FIFA World Cup qualification
37	21 November 1984	Parc des Princes, Paris, France	Bulgaria	1–0	1–0	1986 FIFA World Cup qualification
38	16 November 1985	Parc des Princes, Paris, France	Yugoslavia	1–0	2–0	1986 FIFA World Cup qualification
39	16 November 1985	Parc des Princes, Paris, France	Yugoslavia	2–0	2–0	1986 FIFA World Cup qualification
40	17 June 1986	Estadio Olímpico Universitario, Mexico City, Mexico	Italy	1–0	2–0	1986 FIFA World Cup
41	21 June 1986	Estadio Jalisco, Guadalajara, Mexico	Brazil	1–1	1(p)–1	1986 FIFA World Cup

Nancy

• Coupe de France: 1977–78
• Division 2: 1974–75

Saint-Étienne

• Division 1: 1980–81
• Coupe de France runner-up: 1980–81, 1981–82

Juventus

• Serie A: 1983–84, 1985–86
• Coppa Italia: 1982–83
• European Cup: 1984–85; runner-up: 1982–83
• European Cup Winners' Cup: 1983–84
• European Super Cup: 1984
• Intercontinental Cup: 1985

France

• UEFA European Championship: 1984
• Artemio Franchi Trophy: 1985
• FIFA World Cup third place: 1986
• 1976 Pre-Olympic Zone European

Individual

• Ballon d'Or: 1983, 1984, 1985[66]
• Onze d'Or: 1983, 1984, 1985[67]
• Onze d'Argent: 1977[67]
• IOC European Footballer of the Season: 1983–84, 1984–85[68]
• World Soccer Player of the Year: 1984, 1985[69]
• UEFA European Championship Player of the Tournament: 1984[70]
• UEFA European Championship Top Scorer: 1984[70]
• UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 1984[70]
• French Player of the Year: 1976, 1977[71]
• French Player of the Century: 1999[71]
• L'Équipe French Champion of Champions: 1977, 1984[72]
• FIFA XI: 1979[73]
• Guerin d'Oro: 1984[74]
• Capocannoniere (Serie A Top Scorer): 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85[75]
• European Cup Top Scorer: 1984–85[76]
• Intercontinental Cup Most Valuable Player of the Match Award: 1985[77]
• FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1982, 1986[78]
• FIFA World Cup All-Time Team: 1994[79]
• World Team of the 20th Century: 1998[79]
• FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2002[79]
• Italian Football Hall of Fame member[80]
• English Football Hall of Fame member (voted All-Time Greatest European Footballer. He is only the second person outside the English game to be honoured by the Museum.)
• Artemio Franchi Prize
• Golden Foot: 2004, as football legend[81]
• FIFA 100[82]
• UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll: #9[83]
• Premio internazionale Giacinto Facchetti: 2011[84]
• Globe Soccer Awards Player Career Award: 2012[85]
• IFFHS Legends[86]
• Juventus Greatest XI of All Time: 2017[87]
• Ballon d'Or Dream Team (Bronze): 2020[88]

Individual

• El País European Coach of the Year: 1991
• World Soccer Manager of the Year: 1991[69]

• Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur: 1985[1]
• Officier of the Ordre national du Mérite: 1994[89]
• Officier of the Légion d'honneur: 1998[1]