French · Jœuf, France · Born 21 June 1955Three-time European Footballer of the Year and France's greatest player of his generation — a playmaker of rare elegance and lethal scoring ability.
Michel François Platini was born in Jœuf, France in 1955 and began at AS Nancy (1972–1979) before Saint-Étienne (1979–1982) and Juventus (1982–1987). At Juve he won 2 Serie A titles, the European Cup (1985) and Cup Winners' Cup (1984). He earned 72 France caps scoring 41 goals — becoming the nation's all-time scorer before Thierry Henry surpassed him. He won the Ballon d'Or three consecutive times (1983, 1984, 1985) — the first player to achieve this feat. His 1984 European Championship campaign remains one of the finest individual tournament performances: 9 goals in 5 matches including two hat-tricks. He covered 10.4 km per game with a top speed of 29.3 km/h. He scored 353 career goals and provided 245 assists in 688 appearances. He won 14 major trophies. He was UEFA President from 2007 to 2016 before a corruption investigation ended his career in football administration. He scored 68 goals in 147 Juventus Serie A appearances — an extraordinary return for a midfielder.
Winning three consecutive Ballon d'Or awards (1983-1985)
How They Played
Creative attacking midfielder with exceptional vision, passing ability, and free-kick expertise
Lasting Impact
Considered one of the greatest playmakers in football history and a masterful free-kick taker
Career Honours
- European Cup 1985 (Juventus)
- Serie A 1984, 1986 (Juventus)
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1984
- European Championship 1984 (France – 9 goals, Golden Boot)
- Ballon d'Or 1983, 1984, 1985
- Ligue 1 1981 (Saint-Étienne)
- European Championship 1984
- European Cup 1985
- Serie A 1984, 1986
| Club | Period | Apps | Goals | Shirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AS Nancy | 1972–1979 | 688 | 58 | #10 |
| Juventus | 1982–1987 | 140 | 42 | #10 |
| AS Saint-Étienne | 1979–1982 | 104 | 58 | — |
 France | — | 72 | 41 | — |
French Athletes