Michel Platini

Michel Platini
Platini in 2010
6th President of UEFA
In office 26 January 2007 – 21 December 2015
Preceded by	Lennart Johansson
Succeeded by	Ángel María Villar (acting) Aleksander Čeferin
Personal details
Born	Michel François Platini[1] (1955-06-21) 21 June 1955 (age 68)[2] Jœuf, France
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Occupation	Footballer Manager Football administrator
Association football career Position(s) Attacking midfielder Youth career 1966–1972 AS Jœuf 1972 Nancy Senior career* Years Team Apps (Gls) 1972–1979 Nancy 181 (98) 1979–1982 Saint-Étienne 104 (58) 1982–1987 Juventus 147 (68) Total 432 (224) International career 1975–1976 France Olympic 7 (4) 1976–1987 France[3] 72 (41) 1988 Kuwait[4] 1 (0) Managerial career 1988–1992 France Medal record Men's football Representing  France UEFA European Championship Winner 1984 France CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions Winner 1985 France FIFA World Cup 1986 México *Club domestic league appearances and goals

Michel François Platini (French pronunciation: [miʃɛl fʁɑ̃swa 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,^[5] and came seventh in the FIFA Player of the Century vote.^[6] In recognition of his achievements, he was named a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur in 1985 and became an Officier 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.^[7]

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.^[8] 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 (9) scored in the European Championship until being surpassed by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2021, despite only appearing in the victorious 1984 edition.^[8]

Following his retirement as a player, Platini was the France national team coach for four years, 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 the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). He also held the positions of chairman of FIFA's Technical and Development Committee and vice-president of the French Football Federation.