The Frenchman Michel Platini is the new President of UEFA, the European Football Federation. On the federation’s XXXI Congress in Duesseldorf, the 51-year old Platini received 27 votes, while the incumbent Lennart Johansson gathered 23 votes. The 77-year old Swede had presided over UEFA for 17 years. For the first time in UEFA’s 52 year history, the President has been voted out off the office. As his first official act, Platini proposed the motion to give Johansson the status of honorary UEFA President, which the assembly quickly did per acclamation.
Michel Platini is the second french UEFA President, with Jacques George holding office from 1983 until 1990.
Platini’s voice almost failed him, when he said in his inauguration speech: "I am moved, deeply moved, but I am happy. We hold a fortune in our hands: the most popular game in the world. It’s my intention to defend this treasure and to let it grow. The strong will have to help the weaker members. Football is a game, not a product, it is a sport, not a market, it is a spectacle and not a business." On his way to the speaker’s desk, he gave a quick pat to Lennart Johansson. Just before the vote, the two contestants had talked amicably at the front desk. After he had heard, that he won the majority of votes, Platini said: "This is just the beginning, the beginning of an adventure. Lennart, this is also the beginning of an adventure for you. I need your support."
Prior to the congress, Platini had announced that he would move his residence to the UEFA headquarters in Nyon. He intends to play a vital role in the day-to-day operation, much in contrast to the way Lennart Johansson had conducted the business.
Michel Platini was born on 21 June 1955, and enjoyed a glittering career as a footballer before moving into the world of football administration and politics. He was the leading star of his era, winning three successive European Footballer of the Year awards in 1983, 1984 and 1985. His major success at club level followed in Italy with Juventus Turin, where he played from 1982 to 1987, notably winning the European Champion Clubs’ Cup in 1985 and the UEFA European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1984. He was the leading scorer in Italy’s Serie A in 1983, 1984, and 1985.
He led France to the UEFA European Championship title on home soil in 1984, finishing the tournament as top-scorer. He took part in three FIFA World Cups, and made a total of 72 appearances for France from 1976 to 1987. As a football administrator, he was vice-chairman of the organising committee for the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France.
Commenting on Platini’s election, DFB President Dr. Theo Zwanziger said: "A victory for the small UEFA members. Now, these romantic ideas of social reform have to measure up to reality. Hopefully, the two opposing camps will find ways to unite again. At the end of the day, the game itself is all that counts. But I’m also sad that today, someone was voted out of office, even though not a single fact spoke against him."
Franz Beckenbauer, who was voted into the Executive Committee of FIFA, had this to say about Platini’s victory: "We have to respect the outcome. Obviously, we had been very frank about our position before Düsseldorf, but now we need to cooperate with Michel Platini, which we will do in the proper way."
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The Frenchman Michel Platini is the new President of UEFA, the European Football Federation. On the federation’s XXXI Congress in Duesseldorf, the 51-year old Platini received 27 votes, while the incumbent Lennart Johansson gathered 23 votes. The 77-year old Swede had presided over UEFA for 17 years. For the first time in UEFA’s 52 year history, the President has been voted out off the office. As his first official act, Platini proposed the motion to give Johansson the status of honorary UEFA President, which the assembly quickly did per acclamation.
Michel Platini is the second french UEFA President, with Jacques George holding office from 1983 until 1990.
Platini’s voice almost failed him, when he said in his inauguration speech: "I am moved, deeply moved, but I am happy. We hold a fortune in our hands: the most popular game in the world. It’s my intention to defend this treasure and to let it grow. The strong will have to help the weaker members. Football is a game, not a product, it is a sport, not a market, it is a spectacle and not a business." On his way to the speaker’s desk, he gave a quick pat to Lennart Johansson. Just before the vote, the two contestants had talked amicably at the front desk. After he had heard, that he won the majority of votes, Platini said: "This is just the beginning, the beginning of an adventure. Lennart, this is also the beginning of an adventure for you. I need your support."
Prior to the congress, Platini had announced that he would move his residence to the UEFA headquarters in Nyon. He intends to play a vital role in the day-to-day operation, much in contrast to the way Lennart Johansson had conducted the business.
Michel Platini was born on 21 June 1955, and enjoyed a glittering career as a footballer before moving into the world of football administration and politics. He was the leading star of his era, winning three successive European Footballer of the Year awards in 1983, 1984 and 1985. His major success at club level followed in Italy with Juventus Turin, where he played from 1982 to 1987, notably winning the European Champion Clubs’ Cup in 1985 and the UEFA European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1984. He was the leading scorer in Italy’s Serie A in 1983, 1984, and 1985.
He led France to the UEFA European Championship title on home soil in 1984, finishing the tournament as top-scorer. He took part in three FIFA World Cups, and made a total of 72 appearances for France from 1976 to 1987. As a football administrator, he was vice-chairman of the organising committee for the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France.
Commenting on Platini’s election, DFB President Dr. Theo Zwanziger said: "A victory for the small UEFA members. Now, these romantic ideas of social reform have to measure up to reality. Hopefully, the two opposing camps will find ways to unite again. At the end of the day, the game itself is all that counts. But I’m also sad that today, someone was voted out of office, even though not a single fact spoke against him."
Franz Beckenbauer, who was voted into the Executive Committee of FIFA, had this to say about Platini’s victory: "We have to respect the outcome. Obviously, we had been very frank about our position before Düsseldorf, but now we need to cooperate with Michel Platini, which we will do in the proper way."
