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Name:
Platini, Michel
Born:
21st June 1955, Position: Inside Forward/ Midfield
(Nancy
Lorraine (France), Saint Etienne (France), Juventus (Italy) and
France |
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Major
Honours:
European Championship 1984, European Cup Winners
Cup 1984, European Super Cup 1984, European Cup 1985, European Footballer of the Year 1983,
1984, 1985, World Footballer of the Year 1985.
Relevant
Career Statistics:
72
caps; 41 goals for France; 146 games and 68 goals for Juventus.
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Admitted
to the Hall of Fame: 1st April 2002 with 23% of the votes.
Typical
comment listed by voter during poll:
"Michel
Platini was simply a fantastique player."
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Roy
of the Rovers References:
Michel is profiled as one
of the "World Cup nearly Men" in a Roy of the Rovers feature - 7th
July 1990 edition.
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Internet
Links: There are a number of web pages dedicated to
Michel Platini.
Michel
Platini - Official Website - The official website of
the French Playmaker.
French
Player of the Century - Michel Platini is named
French player of the century as reported on FIFA's website.
World
Cup Archive - Michel Platini - Michel Platini is
honoured as a star in the greatest competition of all.
Michel
Platini : Hall of Champions - Provides an
excellent time line for the career of the Playmaker.
French
Player of the Century - Michel Platini is named
French player of the century as reported on FIFA's website.
Profile
of Michel Platini - A detailed profile on the French
playmaker from Soccer-europe.com.
International
Goals - A detailed rundown of all Michel Platini's
goals for France.
Juventus
- Past Legends - A tribute to the former Juventus
legend.
International
Football Hall of Fame - Michel Platini - A fitting
tribute to the all rounder. |
Michel Platini was the
original playmaker. He was France's brightest star who put the country on
the footballing map in the 1980's. Within a few weeks in the spring of
1997 he was voted in Italy as the greatest player ever to have lined up
for Juventus and at home in France as the number one sports personality of
his generation.
Michel
was the grandson of an Italian immigrant and
was born at Joeuf in 1955. He began with Nancy, where his father was
coach. He played in the 1976 Olympics and that year made his full
international debut, against Czechoslovakia, scoring in a 2-2 draw. He
impressed at the 1978 World Cup
in Argentina and in 1979 after scoring 98 goals from
175 appearances in seven years with Nancy, Michel moved to AS St. Etienne.
In the 1982 World Cup he inspired France to fourth place in Spain
after being voted man of the match in the dramatic semi-final shoot out
defeat by West Germany.
Following
the finals Juventus paid £1.200.000 for him and his goals helped win
three Italian titles in four years as well as European honours. With
Juventus he was three times the Italian League's top scorer
and converted the penalty kick which brought Juve their long awaited
European Champions Cup victory in 1995 (albeit overshadowed by the Heysel
tragedy)
He led by example when representing his country,
especially when France won the 1984 European Championship on home soil. He
was not only captain but their top scorer with nine goals including
hat-tricks against Belgium and Yugoslavia and the first goal in the 2-0
victory over Spain in the final. Real Roy of the Rovers stuff!
After retiring he concentrated briefly on commercial
interests and TV work until he was persuaded to become national manager in
1987 and took France to the finals of the 1992 European Championship. France
disappointed but Michel took an even more prestigious role as co-president
of the domestic Organising Committee for the 1998 World Cup Finals.
Michel was quite simply the
greatest football achiever of his generation, a French Roy of the Rovers
and a great ambassador for the beautiful game. A worthy member of the Roy of the
Rovers Hall of Fame.
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