A little bit off topic but I also remember when England played France in 82 and our very own Captain Marvel was immense scoring two goals winning three one. I am pretty sure we went out of that Cup not losing a game but simply did not score enough.
Is Platini the most underrated footballer of all time?
- Thread starter spontaneus1
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I’ve been watching off-the-pitch videos of that French team of the 80’s just a few days ago, combined from all we know about him from Juve and even earlier. He was such a likable guy, and yet somehow he had managed to become one of the most hated people in football!
Not sure which way you’re meaning to have your greater than / less than signs facing, but why are Pogba and Kante even mentioned in the same sentence as the others?
Robson was the master of battling the other team single-handedly. There were better midfielders (not many though), but very few could guarantee you a fighting chance in every game regardless the boring stuff like tactics and personnel.
That's Bruno Pizzul on commentary - such a knowledgable and affable guy.
Platini had two pure strikers to create for in Rossi and Boniek, and he still got his fair share of goals.
A lesson in this thread that may not be learned is that any judgement must be predicated on actual knowledge of the topic (yes, I’m a traditionalist).
If you didn’t see Platini play, don’t comment (Platini was a bloody genius as anyone who watched Serie A in the 80s would tell you and is definitely not underrated by those that watched football in that era).
If you didn’t see Platini play, don’t comment (Platini was a bloody genius as anyone who watched Serie A in the 80s would tell you and is definitely not underrated by those that watched football in that era).
Not sure why you are being so dismissive. A fair number of French people I've spoken to have Platini at the same level as Zidane (if not higher.)platini better than zidane, this place
You're not wrong. Platini in his day was being compared to the mighty Diego. How is it laughable to compare him to Zidane? Diego is widely considered to be greater than Zizou, without much dispute.
No, he wasn't.. Absolutely not.
I reckon he was as good as Cruyff.
Charlton should be in there too.
Iniesta.
A rich man's Glenn Hoddle def in top 30 of all time.
Platini is regular mentioned as a great. But it does feel that Messi and Ronaldo has made people reassess everyone else.
Not surprised by this given your posts in the other threadHim, Zico and Maradona are the face of the 80s.
In France, "casuals" and young people just forget about Michel Platini but like in many country for past players.
IMHO, he's the best french player on par with Zidane.
Honestly, I'm tempted to bring in Lilian Thuram who had like litteraly at most 2 or 3 bad games in 142 games and was a world class defender for like 10 years straight.
And despite how things went for him, you have to give Platini that he's a smart man and for example was a great TV analysis (which we didn't know at time and took for granted when you see french commentators level nowadays).
IMHO, he's the best french player on par with Zidane.
Honestly, I'm tempted to bring in Lilian Thuram who had like litteraly at most 2 or 3 bad games in 142 games and was a world class defender for like 10 years straight.
And despite how things went for him, you have to give Platini that he's a smart man and for example was a great TV analysis (which we didn't know at time and took for granted when you see french commentators level nowadays
).Platini had no right to be that good with the body he had. He was a footballing genius, that saw everything faster than anyone on the pitch. France basically gave up on team sports before Platini. Euro 84 was the first time ever, a french team won something in a major event. It started everything.
For me he's on par with Eusebio, Puskas, Zidane, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo. just below the God Tier : Pelé, Di Stefano, Messi, C. Ronaldo.
And in France, it's actually an endless debate, people who saw both lean slightly towards Platini but it's arguable.
For me he's on par with Eusebio, Puskas, Zidane, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo. just below the God Tier : Pelé, Di Stefano, Messi, C. Ronaldo.
And in France, it's actually an endless debate, people who saw both lean slightly towards Platini but it's arguable.
On par with Zizou for me but my uncle who has watched him extensively tells me he was better than him. Not easy to be a success at Juve when he went there
And yet England had a continuous reputation throughout that decade as being crap. We really weren't. We just didn't know how we were supposed to go about things. We had teams with Barnes, Hoddle, Waddle, Beardsley etc and others all fit for selection. Just didn't have the self confidence to find our own voice, based on feck knows what absence of philosophy.
He most definitely was. Before the start of the 1986 world cup, a preview show was highlighting Maradona and Platini and which one will inspire their team to world cup glory. It's only after the world cup that Maradona was the definitive best player in the world, before that he was vying with Platini for that honour.
It's pretty simple, the French would never have been football giants without Zidane 1996 - 2006, he made everyone around him better players
Nonsense. In the first half of the 80s saying Maradona was better than Platini would be a bit like saying Messi was better than Ronaldinho in 2005-06. Not quite, Maradona had been around for a while and been the most expensive transfer, but maybe that helps some younger ones grasp the sudden shift in relative status that takes place in 1986 (2007/08 in the other case).
I wrote this some time ago in the Tiers of Greatness thread:
I totally agree with that part, I rank him very high too in french NT history.In France, "casuals" and young people just forget about Michel Platini but like in many country for past players.
IMHO, he's the best french player on par with Zidane.
Honestly, I'm tempted to bring in Lilian Thuram who had like litteraly at most 2 or 3 bad games in 142 games and was a world class defender for like 10 years straight.
And despite how things went for him, you have to give Platini that he's a smart man and for example was a great TV analysis (which we didn't know at time and took for granted when you see french commentators level nowadays
Maradona would not have won any ballan d’or before 1986 if he was eligible. He really didn’t do anything outstanding prior to 1986 World Cup. Infact at the time journalists were saying he needed a great World Cup to justify his talent. No way he takes any of Platini’s awards from 1983-1985.
Heh. It's the old "needs to win" argument. Maradona spent two years in barcelona getting injured while Platini was at his peak. Once Maradona moved to Italy, he was immediately better than Platini, individually, while playing on a worse team for the first 2 years...then he lead napoli to the title in his third...
Not a chance.
Maradona moved to Napoli for the 84-85 season, which was the last of three formidable Platini seasons. Before it was the Summer 1984 Euro win, at the end of it he wins the 84-85 European Cup, and during it he gets the Ballon d'Or and is the top scorer of both the Serie A and the European Cup.
1985-86 you could argue Maradona was building a head of steam, but Platini was still the top scorer for Serie A winners Juventus. It wasn't as good a season as the previous three and he was 30, but by all means he was still the best player in the world, you don't strike out his 82-85 peak overnight, a more formidable and consistent peak than Diego ever had.
It was at World Cup 86 that the baton was passed and in 1986-87 that Maradona carried on where he left off in Mexico for Napoli to win the Scudetto.
The statement you replied to is absolutely right, a lot had been said about how he had been left out of Argentina's 78 WC winning side and how much better they would be with him. 1982 was a major turnoff. Unreal talent, sure, but watching Zico or Platini and then watching Maradona was men against boys. Let's say Zico and Platini were Messi and Cristiano to Maradona's Neymar.
Yes he was. And for a long time he was seen as a better one out of the two, especially after he dominated the 1984 Euros like no one did before or since. It was only after 1985 that it all began to change — Platini got less motivated (he spoke a lot how the Heysel tragedy really changed the priorities of everyone on that Juve team) and Maradona became to finally fulfilling his potential by leaving Barca & assuming more responsibility for Argentina. After the sensational 1986 World Cup Maradona got ahead of Platini in public's perception and never looked back.
Under rated by whom?
Personally, I've never seen why people rate Zidane above him
Beautiful footballer to watch, such a great passer and able to damage teams consistently.
Always try for him or Laudrup in the office I-XI of all time chat.
Always try for him or Laudrup in the office I-XI of all time chat.
Yes. Again, perception. Maradona was a better player than Platini from the moment he set foot in Italy. He was better than Platini in serie A in both the 84/85 and 85/86 seasons. What Platini had for him over Diego was the '84 Euro, and the '85 European Cup with Juventus. So, you're absolutely right that Platini would have won those ballon d'ors regardless. That he was a better player than Maradona at the time...is another story. Arguable
The lack of footballing culture and knowledge in this post is staggering. And you obviously never ever saw Platini play.
Incredible match...I liked both teams but declared I wanted France to win right before the match started.
IMO, the only other WC match I hold in as high a regard is Brazil vs Italy in 82. A shocker of a result, but what an entertaining and blindingly skillful match.
I specifically said mid 80'es.
Really? He was there for five years and he won two Serie A, one Coppa Italia and one European Cup.
I disagree. Maradonas peak from around 84-89 was better and more consistent than Platinis. Before Messi/Cristiano, Maradona was a certain in a top two tier along with Pelé in almost everybodys view. Platini was never viewed that way.
Before and until Euro '84 you're probably right. I believe the perception of which of them was the better player changed in the following season when Maradona came to Napoli.
That's my take on it as well.
Its supposed to be arguable. You're talking about the absolute best players of the era. I prefer Zico to both of them myself.
What?!
This has got to take the prize for the most crazy thing I've ever read on this forum..
Paul Pogba > Kante > Henry > Platini?!
Even for you, Mr Halal, that is an absolutely crazy opinion, especially since you admit in the very same post, to know nothing about his club career and I doubt you're even older than 19-20...
He's a very intelligent and articulate man and I think his style of play translate it very well. I can read french and still have "L'Equipe's" golden book 1987 (right after his retirement) in which wrote many articles about him and football in general. His writing level was very high, much more than most the professional sport journalists nowadays. He had a very elegant way to pin down a thought with simple words. About the decision of ending his career, he said "I retire today because I won't be better tomorrow".
I'm old enough to remember the last two years of his career, which were plagued by injuries (groin particularly). Especially the WC 1986 where he played under injections. He still was a brilliant player with a rare elegance. His game vision, passing range and positioning were absolutely phenomenal. His only downside was that he lacked somewhat physical presence as well as stamina, as he didn't gave a feck about fitness. He largely compensated with his intelligence but there's no way he would've lasted a half-time if he played today.
He's not well known because he spent most of his career in the french league (Nancy and St-Etienne) and came relatively late to Juventus. Also, as you said, Maradona. I still consider him as one of the best 10 ever.
He'd have an argument for 1979 where, if SA were eligible
Cancel that, it should have been Zico in 1979
"according to Flamengo, scored 89 goals in 1979 (81 for his club, 7 for Brazil and one in a friendly).
According to Bruno Lucena, from the Brazilian side's department responsible for studies and archives, "if Zico had played the full season – he was injured and was out for a couple of months – he would have certainly notched up more than 100 goals."
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You still have to win something with your team though. God knows that I'm a sucker for Diego, but before 86 there were still question marks over him. His transfer to Napoli surprised everyone at the time, some saw it as a career suicide. He was exceptionally talented, more than Platini, there was not the slightest question about it, but yet had to achieve something be it with his NT (not including the Youth WC in 78) or his club to win it. As far as I know no one won it without any major title on a club or national level. Platini lead his team to win two European trophies and was also Capocannoniere three season in a row (83-85). On a national level, his exceptional performance in the Euro 84 earned France its first major title ever. His trophies were well earned.
It was clear as day that he was carrying Napoli on his back, largely overachieving, but its team needed reinforcements to compete for the title. After Napoli's first title and his glorious WC 1986 he should have won it and it shouldn't have been the last one.
Maradona won the South American equivalent to Ballon D'or in 1979.