- In full:
- Michel François Platini
- Born:
- June 21, 1955, Joeuf, France (age 71)
- Awards And Honors:
- Ballon d’Or (1985)
- Ballon d’Or (1984)
- Ballon d’Or (1983)
Michel Platini
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Who is Michel Platini?
Michel Platini, born in Joeuf, France, on June 21, 1955, is a retired French football player and administrator. Platini was named European Footballer of the Year three times (1983–85) and was president of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) from 2007 to 2016.
An accomplished attacking midfielder, he debuted with AS Nancy in 1973, later playing for Saint-Étienne and Juventus. With Juventus, he won a European Cup in 1985, two league titles (1984, 1986), a UEFA Super Cup (1984), and a European Cup Winners’ Cup (1984). Platini played for the French national team beginning in 1976, leading France to victory in the 1984 European Championship.
In 2015, Platini was banned from international football for accepting an improper payment from FIFA president Sepp Blatter, part of a larger corruption scandal. Although reduced to four years upon appeal, he resigned from UEFA in May 2016. In 2022, he was acquitted of fraud charges related to the FIFA payment.
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For which country did Michel Platini play football?
Michel Platini played football for France. He debuted with the French first-division team AS Nancy in 1973 and later led France to a fourth-place finish in the 1982 World Cup. In 1984, he was the leading scorer when France won the European Championship, their first major international football title. Platini retired in 1987 as the country’s all-time leading goal scorer, with 41 goals scored during his international career.
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What position did Michel Platini play on the football field?
Michel Platini was a prolific attacking midfielder. He played for clubs such as AS Nancy, Saint-Étienne, and Juventus. With Juventus, he experienced international success, leading the team to a European Cup championship in 1985. He also played for the French national team from 1976 to 1987, leading France to a European Championship in 1984.
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What major awards or achievements did Platini earn as a player?
Michel Platini, a French attacking midfielder, achieved significant awards as a player, including being named the European Footballer of the Year three times (1983–85). He also led Juventus to a European Cup championship in 1985, two league championships (1984, 1986), a UEFA Super Cup (1984), and a European Cup Winners’ Cup (1984). Platini captained France to victory at the 1984 European Championship, where he was the tournament's leading scorer.
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What important roles did Platini have after retiring as a football player?
After retiring as a football player in 1987, Michel Platini transitioned to several significant roles in football administration and coaching.
- French National Coach In 1988, he became the coach for the French national team, a position he held until 1992.
- Co-president Platini then served as co-president of the organizing committee for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, which was hosted by France.
- Administrative Roles Before becoming president of UEFA, Platini held various administrative positions in both FIFA and UEFA.
- UEFA President Platini was elected president of the Union of European Football Associations in 2007, serving until 2016. However, he was banned from international football due to an improper payment from Sepp Blatter.
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How did Michel Platini influence European football as an administrator?
Michel Platini significantly influenced European football as president of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) from 2007 to 2016. Before his presidency at UEFA, he held several administrative positions in both FIFA and UEFA. However, in December 2015, Platini was banned from international football for eight years after a FIFA investigation revealed that he accepted an improper payment from Sepp Blatter, the president of FIFA. Although his punishment was reduced to four years upon appeal, he resigned from UEFA in May 2016 after his ban was not completely overturned.
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Michel Platini (born June 21, 1955, Joeuf, France) is a French professional football (soccer) player and administrator who was named the European Footballer of the Year three times (1983–85) and served as president of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA; 2007–16).
Platini made his French first-division debut with AS Nancy in 1973. A prolific attacking midfielder, he led the club to a French Cup championship in 1978 and then joined Saint-Étienne the following year. He helped his new team win a league title in 1981, and in 1982 he transferred to Juventus of Italy. Platini emerged as an international superstar with Juventus, leading the team to a European Cup final in 1983 (a loss) and a European Cup championship in 1985. Juventus also captured two league championships (1984, 1986), a UEFA Super Cup (1984), and a European Cup Winners’ Cup (1984) during Platini’s tenure with the club, which lasted until 1987.
Platini had played his first match with the French national team in 1976. In 1982 he led France to a fourth-place finish at the World Cup, and two years later he was the leading scorer of the tournament as France captured the European Championship, the country’s first major international football title. France was the favourite heading into the 1986 World Cup, but it placed third after losing its semifinal match to West Germany. Platini retired from the sport in 1987 as the country’s all-time leading goal scorer with 41 for his international career.
Shortly after leaving the pitch for the final time, Platini turned to coaching, becoming the French national coach in 1988. He resigned that post in 1992 and then served as copresident of the organizing committee for the 1998 World Cup, which was hosted by France. Platini held a number of administrative positions in both the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and UEFA before he was elected UEFA president in 2007.
In December 2015 Platini was banned from international football for eight years after a FIFA investigation found that he had accepted an improper payment from Sepp Blatter, the president of FIFA; the revelation was part of the 2015 corruption scandal that implicated more than two dozen FIFA officials and their associates in a 24-year self-enrichment scheme that reached the highest levels of FIFA management. Platini’s punishment was reduced to four years upon appeal, but he resigned from UEFA in May 2016 after his ban was not completely overturned. In 2019 he was briefly detained during an investigation into corruption allegations involving Qatar’s selection as host of the 2022 World Cup. Two years later Swiss authorities indicted Platini and Blatter on fraud charges related to the FIFA payment. The two men went on trial in 2022, and they both were acquitted.