Michel Platini

Michel François Platini (born June 21, 1955 in Jœuf, Meurthe-et-Moselle) is a French former football player, manager andcurrent president of UEFA. Platini was a member of the French national team that won the 1984 European Championship, a tournament in which he was voted the best player and top goalscorer. He participated in the 1978, 1982 and 1986 World Cups, reaching the semi-finals in the latter two. Platini, Alain Giresse, Luis Fernández and Jean Tigana together made up the "carré magique" (French for "magic square"), the group of midfield players that formed the heart of the French national team throughout the 1980s. He is also widely regarded as one of the best passers in football history as well as one of history's greatest free kick specialists and finishers. He holds the record for most goals (9) scored in European Championship final tournaments despite only appearing in one such tournament (1984). Despite being a midfielder, he held the national team top scorer record until striker Thierry Henry surpassed the 41 goals mark in 2008.

Platini was named Chevalier (Knight) of the Legion of Honour on April 29, 1985 and became Officier (Officer) in 1988. He was the French national team coach for four years, and was the co-organizer of the 1998 World Cup in France. He has also been the chairman of the FIFA Technical and Development Committee, and vice-president of the French Football Federation.

Early career

Platini performed poorly in the final of the 1969 young footballers' competition, but at 16 years of age he attracted attention in a Coupe Gambardella tournament match with an impressive display for Jœuf juniors against a Metz junior side.
Platini was called up for a trial with Metz, but missed out on the opportunity due to injury, and was not immediately invited back after the Metz coach moved to another club. He returned to regional league football with Jœuf. Another trial at Metz went horribly wrong when a breathing test on a spirometer caused Platini to faint. The doctor's verdict on Platini's breathing difficulties and weak heart ended any hopes Platini had of playing for his boyhood favorites. He joined the Nancy
reserve side in September 1972, and became friends with team goalkeeper Jean-Michel Moutier.

Personal information

Full name Michel François Platini
Date of birth June 21, 1955 (1955-06-21) (age 54)
Place of birth Jœuf, France
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position Attacking midfielder

Youth career
1966–1972 AS Joeuf

Senior career*
Years Club Apps (Gls)†
1972–1979 AS Nancy 181 0(98)
1979–1982 Saint-Étienne 104 0(58)
1982–1987 Juventus 147 0(68)
Total 432 (224)

National team
1976–1987 France 072 0(41)

Teams managed
1988–1992 France

Retirement

Platini made his last appearance for France on April 29, 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 FC Barcelona striker Thierry Henry after scoring his 42nd and 43rd national team goals against Lithuania in a Euro 2008 Qualifying on October 17, 2007.

Platini's coaching career

Platini was named coach of the French national side on November 1, 1988, replacing Henri Michel, who had been forced out after France infamously drew with Cyprus (1-1) in a 1990 World Cup qualifier. France's qualifying campaign was ultimately
unsuccessful.The focus of the team shifted to qualifying for the 1992 European Championship in Sweden. France excelled in the qualifying stages, winning all eight of their group matches, including notable victories away to Spain and
record 19-match unbeaten run, they were among the favourites to win the competition and Platini was named Manager of the Year by the World Soccer Awards. But a string of uninspiring performances in warm-up matches, followed by France's first-round elimination from the tournament, led Platini to step down as coach.

Administrative roles

Platini was, along with Fernand Sastre, head of the organizing committee for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, held in France. He served on the UEFA Technical Development Committee from 1988 to 1990. He has been a member of the UEFA Executive Committee and European member of the FIFA Executive Committee since 2002. He continued to climb the ranks of UEFA and FIFA football administration and as of 2006, he is a chairman of the FIFA Technical and Development Committee, while also being
vice-president of the French Football Federation.

UEFA PRESIDENT

Platini confirmed that he would run for the UEFA presidency in July 2006.[3] 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.Michel Platini based
his speech on virtues of solidarity and universality.

Platini has recently backed the 6+5 idea, six home international 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.This hasn't happened yet, but

instead for the 2009-10 season a 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.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.

Honours

Individual honours

* 1976
o France Football French Player of the Year
* 1977
o France Football French Player of the Year
o L'Équipe French Champion of Champions
* 1979
o Selected in FIFA XI to play Argentina
* 1982
o Selected in Europe team to face FIFA XI in charity match for UNICEF
* 1983
o Capocannoniere (top scorer) in Italian championship (16 goals)
o Coppa Super Clubs player of the tournament
o Chevron Award (best goal per game ratio in Italian league)
o Ballon d'Or
o Onze d'Or
* 1984
o Capocannoniere (top scorer) in Italian championship (20 goals)
o European Championship player of the tournament
o European Championship top goalscorer (9 goals)
o European Footballer of the Year
o Guerin Sportivo magazine's player of the Italian championship
o L'Équipe French Champion of Champions
o Onze d'Or
o World Soccer Player of the Year
* 1985
o Capocannoniere (top scorer) in Italian championship (18 goals)
o Chevron Award (best goal per game ratio in Italian league)
o European Cup top scorer (7 goals)
o Knight of the Legion of Honour
o Ballon d'Or
o Onze d'Or
o Intercontinental Cup Man of the match
o World Soccer Player of the Year
* 1987
o English Football League Centenary Classic match, Man of the Match
* 1988
o Officer of the Legion of Honour
* 1991
o El País European Coach of the Year
o World Soccer Manager of the Year
* 1992
o Winter Olympics, Albertville, France, lighter of the Olympic Flame with François-Cyrille Grange
* 2003
o Artemio Franchi Prize
* 2004
o Named in FIFA 100
* 2007
o Elected UEFA President.

Club Honours

* Nancy
o Ligue 2 Champion: 1975
o Coupe de France Winner: 1978
* Saint-Étienne
o Ligue 1 Champion: 1981
o Coupe de France Runner-Up: 1981, 1982
* Juventus
o Coppa Italia Winner: 1983
o European Cup Runner-Up: 1983
o European Cup Winners' Cup Winner: 1984
o UEFA Super Cup Winner: 1984
o Serie A Champion: (2): 1984, 1986
o European Cup Winner: 1985
o Intercontinental Cup Winner: 1985

International honours

* European Championship: 1984
* Artemio Franchi Trophy: 1985
* FIFA World Cup: Third-Place 1986
* 1976 Pre-Olympic Zone European

During Platini's international career, France were five times holders of Nasazzi's baton, and Platini was captain on the third, fourth, and fifth occasion that the French national team held the unofficial title while he was an international.