Euro 2024, Champions League, and World Cup Legends
As football fans eagerly await the upcoming Euro 2024 tournament in Germany, one name that continues to be revered is that of Michel Platini – a former Ballon d’Or and European Championship winner.
Platini, who graced the stage of Europe’s historic international tournament, remains one of the most iconic players to have ever played the game. The Frenchman won Euro 1984 with his national team, sandwiched between three consecutive Ballon d’Or victories and lifting the European Cup (now known as the Champions League) with Juventus, an achievement that very few players have ever been able to match.
In an exclusive interview with FourFourTwo, Platini discussed the pinnacle of his glittering career, just days before the start of Euro 2024.
Euro ’84: Platini’s Finest Hour
Heading into the 1984 European Championship, which was hosted in his home country, Platini was fresh from another fantastic season in Italy’s Serie A. The midfielder finished as the league’s top goalscorer, helping Juventus to the title.
France’s campaign got off to a tense 1-0 victory over Denmark, with Platini’s 78th-minute strike proving the difference. The team then went on to thrash Belgium 5-0 in their second group stage match, with Platini scoring a hat-trick.
“We put in our best performance of the tournament against Belgium in Nantes,” Platini told FourFourTwo. “It was in front of 50,000 spectators, for the inauguration of the Stade de la Beaujoire, and it was 40 degrees. It was the first time in my life that I’d won a match in Nantes, because I’d never won at their old stadium, the Stade Marcel-Saupin.”
Platini’s impressive form continued, as he scored a total of nine goals throughout the tournament, a record that stood until 2021 when Cristiano Ronaldo surpassed it at the European Championships.
“With Tigana, Fernandez and Giresse, we had a team that played possession football – we knew we had to do that to succeed. We won 5-0 and it sent a message to the whole world.”
The Frenchman’s heroics helped crown his nation champions, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players to have graced the European Championship stage.
Fans can look forward to more thrilling football action as the road to Euro 2024 heats up, with teams vying for a spot in the prestigious tournament. The world’s top players will also be in the spotlight as the Champions League and FIFA World Cup continue to captivate audiences worldwide.
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