Nicknamed Le Roi (The King) for his ability and leadership, he was a prolific goalscorer; he won the Serie A capocannoniere award three consecutive times between 1983 and 1985, and was the top scorer of Juventus's victorious 1984–85 European Cup campaign.

Together with midfielders Alain Giresse, Luis Fernández and Jean Tigana, he formed the carré magique (magic square) of the French team in the 1980s.

On the substitutes' bench for a match against Valenciennes, Platini was spat on and hit by various objects thrown from the crowd when a fight broke out in the stands.

Platini missed the remainder of the season as a result, unable to assist Nancy in an unsuccessful bid to avoid relegation from Ligue 1.

Platini practised his free-kicks with the help of his friend, goalkeeper Moutier, and using a row of dummies to form a defensive wall of sorts.

Instead, Platini returned to first-team football two weeks later for Nancy's French Cup semi-final against Marseille at the Parc des Princes.

Although Platini was not disgraced by his performances at his first World Cup, fans held him responsible for the French team's failure to progress in the tournament, and in the season that followed he was a target of jeering crowds.

[11][12] In a team featuring numerous members of Italy's victorious World Cup squad, Platini had a difficult introduction to Italian football.

Platini and teammate Zbigniew Boniek successfully called for a change in tactics, and in the second half of the season Juventus saw an upturn in their fortunes.

His colleagues in the battalion included his Nancy teammates Olivier Rouyer and Jean-Michel Moutier, as well as Maxime Bossis, soon to become a regular in the French national team along with Platini.

Three days after the draw in Bucharest, Platini received his first call-up to the national team for what was coach Michel Hidalgo's first game in charge, a friendly against Czechoslovakia in Paris (27 March 1976, 2–2), and scored his first goal with a trademark free kick.

Among the international friendlies France played in preparation for the World Cup, their match against Italy in Naples on 8 February 1978 (2–2) was particularly significant for Platini.

A number of clubs both in France (Paris Saint-Germain and Saint-Étienne) and across Europe (including Juventus, Internazionale, Napoli, Barcelona, Valencia, and Arsenal) began the clamour for Platini's services.

[21] In retrospect, this match may have been a Pyrrhic victory because Platini's brilliance drew the attention of Italy coach Enzo Bearzot, who devised a successful plan to contain him in a match-up that really mattered—the first round of the 1978 World Cup four months later.

One of his trademark free-kicks helped France defeat the Netherlands 2–0 in Paris (18 November 1981) in a crucial qualifying match for the 1982 World Cup in Spain.

German goalkeeper Harald Schumacher had collided with Patrick Battiston, leaving the Frenchman knocked-out cold, and the referee did not call a penalty, much to the anger of the French.

In the dramatic semi-final in Marseille against Portugal, Platini scored the final goal of the match for a memorable 3–2 win in the last minute of extra time.

A second goal from Bruno Bellone in injury time at the end of the match secured France's first major title in international football.

Platini made his last appearance for France on 29 April 1987, in a European Championship qualifier at home to Iceland, a few weeks before announcing his retirement from all football.

[8][12][23][24][25][26] A quick, versatile, elegant, and intelligent offensive midfield playmaker, with a unique ability to read the game and bend the ball from set pieces, he was renowned in particular for his ball control, technical ability, dribbling skills, creativity, range of passing, and vision, despite his lack of notable physical or athletic attributes.

Due to his footballing intelligence, movement, and composure in front of goal, as well as his accurate finishing ability with either foot, as well as his head, despite being naturally right-footed, he was known for his ability to create attacking opportunities for himself by playing exchanges with his teammates until he was in a position from which he could receive the ball and score; indeed, he won several top-scoring awards throughout his career, both at club and international level, and is considered by pundits to be one of the best finishers of all time.

[35] Despite his talent, skill, and outstanding playing ability, Platini also drew criticism from his managers at times, due to his lack of stamina and poor defensive work-rate.

[23] Due to his leadership, dominance, and his technical, offensive, and creative attributes, as well as his ability to be a decisive player for his teams, he was given the nickname "Le Roi" ("The King", in French).

[38] Platini was named coach of the French national side on 1 November 1988, replacing Henri Michel, who had been forced out after France infamously drew with Cyprus (1–1) in a 1990 World Cup qualifier.

After a record 19-match unbeaten run, they were among the favourites to win the competition and Platini was named Manager of the Year by the World Soccer Awards.

But a string of uninspiring performances in warm-up matches, followed by France's first-round elimination from the tournament, led Platini to step down as coach.

Swiss attorney general, Michael Lauber [de], stated: "We didn't interview Mr Platini as a witness, that's not true.

[62] On 18 May 2018, Platini said that the 1998 FIFA World Cup draw was fixed to ensure France and Brazil could not face each other until the final if both teams won their groups.

He was rushed to the Morningside Medi-Clinic with a suspected heart attack after having received first aid care by a Brazilian radio director who was sitting at a table next to him.

[66] The official statement released by FIFA confirmed that Platini was discharged, stating that the UEFA President was "fine, and merely suffering from a bout of flu.