Just how good was Platini?

Anyone one here old enough to have seen much/any of his career. Just wondering because of the Zidane v Laudrup thread. Where does Platini stand in all of this? His stats/records are brilliant.

I never really watched him live, but my dad has lot's of tapes of him from many different games for France, Juventus etc etc and i can honestly say i feel today that he is underrated and almost forgetten by people how good he was.

Deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Zidane and Laudrup imo.

Immaculate_Mole wrote:I never really watched him live, but my dad has lot's of tapes of him from many different games for France, Juventus etc etc and i can honestly say i feel today that he is underrated and almost forgetten by people how good he was.

Deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Zidane and Laudrup imo.

That's what I was thinking. There's a possibility that he's the most underrated player of all time?

hes better than both of them if u ask me...theres players out there that are criminally under-rated/forgotten

Would likely be better remembered if he had either faded into a lower profile and not done so much to anger people in his time at UEFA.

Can't really judge him as a player, what I've seen is pretty impressive.

2 consecutive Ballon d'Ors are an indicator of just how great Platini was. One of the all time greats, I must say.

Opinions of Juve fans needed please.

edit: 7amood in before me

Not really underrated probably on thsi forum but I remember people use to say Zizou was the next Platini.

Platini can be argued to have been better than both of Zidane and Laudrup. Of course you can dispute that, but let's just say they're all in the same league.

Platini was incredible.

VivaStPauli wrote:Platini can be argued to have been better than both of Zidane and Laudrup. Of course you can dispute that, but let's just say they're all in the same league.

whatever he said .

Magricos wrote: Not really underrated probably on thsi forum but I remember people use to say Zizou was the next Platini.

Pretty much this. I can't remember Platini ever being cast as underrated. What I feel is happening though is a few of us aren't seeing Platini as the legendary footballer he was but more the UEFA president who isn't the most liked person nowadays and is being associated with Blatter.

But underrated, nope. He has been a highly rated footballer for as long as I could remember. Never seen beyond tapes and videos though, you know, a bit before my time...

Doc wrote:

Magricos wrote: Not really underrated probably on thsi forum but I remember people use to say Zizou was the next Platini.

Pretty much this. I can't remember Platini ever being cast as underrated. What I feel is happening though is a few of us aren't seeing Platini as the legendary footballer he was but more the UEFA president who isn't the most liked person nowadays and is being associated with Blatter.

But underrated, nope. He has been a highly rated footballer for as long as I could remember. Never seen beyond tapes and videos though, you know, a bit before my time...

Maybe I needed to be clearer about what I meant by underrated.

I think we all know he was an extremely talented footballer so in that sense he is not underrated.

When discussing the all time greats though, his name doesn't come up very often, which it probably should.

Come to think of it, I can't remember writing Platini's name in any "All time great list" I've ever done so I must say I have been guilty of "underrating" his greatness. So I agree, a few of us (including myself) tend to either ignore or forget that he is, in fact, one of the greatest players to play the game.

Doc wrote:Come to think of it, I can't remember writing Platini's name in any "All time great list" I've ever done so I must say I have been guilty of "underrating" his greatness. So I agree, a few of us (including myself) tend to either ignore or forget that he is, in fact, one of the greatest players to play the game.

Exactly my point. And its not as if the gamefootball is as stacked with all-time great mid-fielders. The forwards get all the credit.

I don't know how good he was, but he certainly is the most garbage UEFA president ever.

Greatest Through Baller Of All Time after Zico. Genius on the ptich, off the pitch; Golden Shirt/facepalm

7amood11 wrote:2 consecutive Ballon d'Ors are an indicator of just how great Platini was. One of the all time greats, I must say.

3 straight

i dont think if zizzou have consercutive bellon d'Or..i cant judge platini coz am not in his era but imo zizzou is best MF ever....congrats zidane..

weeble8604 wrote:

7amood11 wrote:2 consecutive Ballon d'Ors are an indicator of just how great Platini was. One of the all time greats, I must say.

3 straight

Even better... He even got 3rd place twice.

weeble8604 wrote:

7amood11 wrote:2 consecutive Ballon d'Ors are an indicator of just how great Platini was. One of the all time greats, I must say.

3 straight

Yes it was 3.

1983, 1984, 1985.

He scored 103 goals for Juventus in 222 games in the attacking midfield role.

Classy, cool, confident, cunning, clever.

Here's an article I found on him:

This is Platini summed up in an image...


Sometimes a picture truly does speak a thousand words and when discussing the class, style and nonchalant grace of ease that was Michel Platini in his pomp, this picture taken during the 1985 Intercontinental Cup Final - is truly one of those images.

While the previously discussed 1996 triumph in the same competition announced the arrival of Alessandro Del Piero onto the world stage, the iconic number ten of the 80's was already a truly global star. By the time the Juventus reached Tokyo that year he was a three time Balon d'Or winner and had just been named World Player of the Year for the second succesive season, part of the 'carré magique' that led France to European Championship glory the previous summer and on his way to a hat-trick of Serie A top scorers titles (pause to reflect on the fact he played in midfield!) he was, beyond question and without peer, the best player in the world.

No, this triumph, on penalties over Copa Libertadores holders Argentinos Juniors, was not one of personal triumph or the coronation of a new hero, this victory was about the club and its fans gaining deserved recognition for their truly remarkable team. This confirmation should have come earlier that same year when, after a trophy laden eight years which saw Giovanni Trapattoni's men win every trophy available to them, they once again reached the European Cup Final. Runners up in 1983, the 'cup with the big ears' had become an obsession for this team, desperate to prove it belonged in the same breath as the other dominant sides of the era.

That 1985 final will never be remembered for football but instead for the indelible stain it left on a game (and two clubs) still marred by the tragedy of Heysel today. Thirty nine people who set off filled with hope went to watch a football match and never returned home, the game only going ahead to prevent further crowd trouble. No other clubs first European Cup victory can ever be so overshadowed.

Liverpool captain Phil Neal and Juve legend Gaetano Scirea addressed the crowd to appeal for calm before kick off. A one-nil victory, courtesy of a Platini penalty and Juventus celebrated the emptiest of wins on the field in front of their fans. Many players have denied knowledge of exactly what happened, but the events prior to kick-off will forever be rightly remembered ahead of the victory.

So it was to the Intercontinental Cup the players and supporters looked to, both to honour those lost and to truly claim their place among the greats. Their talismanic French star leading them with his usual majestic touches and having one of those unforgettable moments that all true icons have. Pele has his 'rounding the keeper' moment against Uruguay in 1970 and Platini matched the Brazilian here, taking three touches - never letting the ball hit the ground - before volleying it into the net. It was ruled out by the German referee, prompting Platini to simply lay on the turf in defiance, his disbelief at being denied a sumptuous goal clearly visible.

He did eventually get a goal - as did Michael Laudrup - in the 2-2 draw, and he added the winning penalty in the shootout but this was not a victory solely about Michel Platini. This was a victory for the Old Lady of Juventus, her fans and indeed for football.

As people have stated his class was felt at club level, however what's also been neglected is the incredible effect on the French national team. France hadn't been internationally relevant for twenty years and Platini was the leader of them team on the pitch as he took them to the semi-finals of the World Cup and won the European Championships.

Italian parents.

That Juventus side in general is under-valued and largely forgotten, Heysel made most people just want to forget that time in it's entirety.

:{Mr.Mustachio! wrote:That Juventus side in general is under-valued and largely forgotten, Heysel made most people just want to forget that time in it's entirety.

Platini, Gentile, Scirea, Cabrini, Boniek, Rossi that was one hell of team.

milanista99 wrote:

:{Mr.Mustachio! wrote:That Juventus side in general is under-valued and largely forgotten, Heysel made most people just want to forget that time in it's entirety.

Platini, Gentile, Scirea, Cabrini, Boniek, Rossi that was one hell of team.

Zoff, Tardelli...

It was great, and these players were in the midst of some very strong teams and players.

But they are always missed from 'greatest' lists, Platini and Scirea especially deserve to be ever present on them!