5 of the Best Moments of Michel Platini's Career

Michel Platini is Number 8 in 90min's Top 50 Greatest Footballer of All Time Series

Love him or hate him (if you're not French or a Juventus fan, you probably hate him), you can't deny that wayyyyy back in the 1980s, there were very few better footballers in the world than Michel Platini.

In Europe between 1983 and 1985, there were no footballers better than Platini actually - as his Ballons d'Or attest.

Without further ado, here are the big corrupt legend's best moments in football.

Three Consecutive Ballons d'Or

Only two footballers in the history of mankind have won back to back to back Ballons d'Or. One is Michel Platini and the other is...?

I'll give you three guesses...

'Is it ummm...this is so much pressure...

I'm going to have to push you for an answer.

'Ummmm...Jesus?'

Navas?

'No forget I said that...Lionel Messi?'

Correct!

Messi won four in a row actually, but still, winning three in a row is pretty damn impressive. So nice one Michel.

Three Consecutive Capocannoniere

Another quiz question for you:

Only two footballers in the history of mankind have won back to back to back Capocannoniere. One is Michel Platini and the other is...?

'Oh I'm never getting this...'

C'mon just guess.

'I really don't know though.'

No one's going to judge you if you get it wrong.

'Ohhhh I don't know...the Pope?'

No. Consider yourself judged.

It was actually Gunnar Nordahl of AC Milan fame. You idiot. He was a proper poacher, whereas Platini did it from midfield, which is quite extraordinary.

Consecutive Perfect Hat-Tricks at Euro '84

A perfect hat-trick is a rather rare thing in football. Peter Crouch only did it once - which tells you all you need to know.

So it is pretty exceptional that Platini scored two perfect hat-tricks in the space of four days during Euro 1984.

His first was against Belgium in a 5-0 thumping - with the pick of the goals being a thunderous header - and his second came a few days later in a 3-2 win over Yugoslavia - with the pick of the goals being a thunderous diving header.

Winning Euro '84

17 - Michel Platini scored his hat-trick v Yugoslavia at the EURO 84 in 17 minutes (59’, 62’, 76’). Flash. #OptaEuro pic.twitter.com/desqhiOT8t
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) June 6, 2016

As I discussed in another article on Platini, the number 10 was pretty good at Euro 1984. He scored nine goals in five games at the tournament - including those back-to-back perfect hat tricks.

See, pretty, pretty good.

He proved to be the match winner in every game for Les Bleus in the tournament, scoring the opener in the final and the last minute of extra goal against Portugal in the semis.

Pretty, pretty good.

Goal vs Ascoli

On this day in 1982, Juventus announced the signing of Michel Platini. pic.twitter.com/vN1ToK2uU9
— KhaledAlnouss (@KhaledAlnouss2) April 30, 2019

Platini is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best player to ever play for Juventus. And that is saying something.

While at La Vecchia Signora, Platini was the star man as they won basically every single trophy ever made - like, I'm pretty sure they won Wimbledon.

During his five year stint in Turin, the France star also scored a lot of great goals for Juventus.

The pick of the bunch - for me anyways - was his goal against Ascoli in 1983.

No, it wasn't an important goal, as Juve were already four up against the fourth worst team in Serie A, but it was a beautiful one. Platini played a quick one-two before backheeling the ball (yes, backheeling the ball) over a defender and then with his next touch, he dinked the ball over an onrushing goalkeeper - on the half-volley - and into the net.

Class.

Just absolutely class.

90min's 'Top 50 Greatest Footballers of All Time' can be found here.

Number 50: Luka Modric

Number 49: John Charles

Number 48: Hugo Sanchez

Number 47: Jairzinho

Number 46: Omar Sivori

Number 45: Paolo Rossi

Number 44: Paul Breitner

Number 43: George Weah

Number 42: Kaka