Here are 25 quotes from Michel Platini, reflecting his views on football, its culture, and some of the game’s greatest talents, as well as insights from his own career:
- “It is a game before a product, a sport before a market, a show before a business.” – Soccer, Sports, Football
- “A football team represents a way of being, a culture.” – Football, Team, Culture
- “The street is the best way to become a good footballer.” – Way, Streets, Footballer
- “Some games you win, some you lose, and some you draw.” – Winning, Games, Draws
- “For me football is more about making the right pass at the right time.” – Football, Right Time
- “In any case, you can’t turn back the clock.” – Getting Older, Aging, Clock
- “What Zidane can do with a football, Maradona could do with an orange.” – Football, Zidane, Orange
- “I gave everything in my career so I have no regrets at all.” – Regret, Careers, No Regrets
- “I was never a prisoner to my footballing status.” – Prisoner
- “Footballing qualities can be developed, but Stoichkov is a player with character and inborn talent.” – Believe, Character, Player
- “I began by playing for the biggest club in the Lorraine region, went on to the biggest club in France and ended up with the biggest in the world.” – World, Clubs, Juventus
- “What differences were there between Maradona and Platini?” – Differences, Maradona, Platini
- “We were the best team in the world: European champions in 1984, we qualified without a hitch and 86 was to be the swan song for a very experienced side.” – Song, Team, Swans
- “The team which I led to the 1992 European Championship Finals is the only one in the history of the entire competition to have won every single one of its qualifying matches.” – Team, Competition, Finals
- “You know, my role as Vice Chairman is a lot less tiring than playing matches every three days.” – Vices, Three, Roles
- “Messi is the great player of this generation, like there were great players in other generations.” – Player, Messi, This Generation
- “If a FIFA World Cup tournament had been held every year between 1982 and 1986, France would have won two or three.” – Years, Two, Fifa
- “The 1984 European Championships were held in France and that was something important.” – Memories, Past, Important
- “Messi has all the conditions to be the best, but first he has to beat Maradona, Romario and then eventually Pele.” – Messi, Firsts, Being The Best
- “The most skillful is Thierry Henry, he has impressed me the most.” – Fighting, Player, Creating
- “Whenever I was on the pitch, I always tried to win.” – Winning
- “For me, football is just a game, not a drama.” – Football, Drama, Games
- “I was the classic midfield organiser who could also score goals.” – Goal, Classic, Score
- “I’m well-educated person. I don’t return the gift” – Educated, Wells, Persons
- “Beckham in Paris will certainly be good for shopping. I love this player but he is not the footballer he was.” – Football, Player, Shopping
