How many Ballon d'Or awards did Michel Platini win?
Michel Platini won three consecutive Ballon d'Or awards, in 1983, 1984, and 1985. No other player had won the award three times in a row at that point in the award's history.
Questions about Michel Platini
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How many goals did Michel Platini score at Euro 1984?
Michel Platini scored nine goals in five matches at the 1984 European Championship, making him the top scorer of the tournament by a wide margin. France scored 14 goals in the tournament and Platini accounted for nine of them. That record stood as the all-time European Championship scoring record until Cristiano Ronaldo surpassed it in 2021.
Why was Michel Platini banned from football?
Michel Platini was banned from football on the 21st of December 2015 after FIFA's independent ethics committee found him guilty of ethics violations related to a $2 million payment made to him by FIFA president Sepp Blatter. The ban lasted until 2023. In July 2022, a Swiss court acquitted Platini of associated criminal charges of fraud, forgery, and misappropriation, with that acquittal confirmed on appeal in March 2025.
What clubs did Michel Platini play for during his career?
Michel Platini played for three clubs: Nancy from 1972 to 1979, Saint-Etienne from 1979 to 1982, and Juventus from 1982 to 1987. He won the French Cup with Nancy in 1978, the French league title with Saint-Etienne in 1981, and the Serie A title, European Cup, and several other trophies with Juventus.
What was Michel Platini's goal record for the French national team?
Michel Platini scored 41 goals in 72 appearances for France between 1976 and 1987, including 49 appearances as captain. That record stood as the all-time French national team scoring record until Thierry Henry scored his 42nd goal on the 17th of October 2007 against Lithuania. Olivier Giroud later also surpassed Platini's total.
When did Michel Platini become president of UEFA?
Michel Platini was elected president of UEFA on the 26th of January 2007, at an election held in Dusseldorf. He defeated Lennart Johansson, who had held the post for the previous 16 years, by 27 votes to 23. Platini became the first former professional player to be elected to lead UEFA.