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Michel Platini

Andres Iniesta pipped Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo to win the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award Thursday.

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SI.com: Georgina Turner: Euro 2012 Day 12 Wrapupdated: Wed Jun 20 2012 07:26:00

"With extra officials you're aware of more things: the fear of getting caught is there. There's no more shirt-pulling, players know that the referee is there." At this point in his interview with Sky Sports, Michel Platini was doing reasonably well. We haven't seen the kind of holdups at set pieces, caused by pushing and shoving, to which we've become accustomed in club matches. Then, warming to the tune he was parping on UEFA's trumpet, Platini added an extra long note of satisfaction. "With five, officials see everything." If he hadn't already been reassessing his feelings on the matter, today's play might have forced him to.

Platini: Bayern, Chelsea worthy of finalupdated: Fri May 18 2012 13:07:00

UEFA president Michel Platini talks to Pedro Pinto about the Champions League final, financial fair play and Euros.

World champion boxer talks Euro drawupdated: Fri Dec 09 2011 11:56:00

CNN World Sport's Pedro Pinto talks with Ukrainian boxing champion Vitali Klitschko ahead of the Euro 2012 draw in Kiev.

Platini: Euro 2012 build up 'a complicated adventure'updated: Fri Dec 09 2011 11:56:00

UEFA president Michel Platini admits the build up to the 2012 European Championships in Poland and Ukraine has been a "complicated adventure" but predicted a successful soccer tournament when the action kicks off in June.

Platini: Blatter racism claims 'clumsy'updated: Fri Dec 09 2011 11:56:00

CNN's Pedro Pinto interviews UEFA's Michel Platini ahead of the draw for the 2012 European Championships.

Blatter: No deal with UEFA chief Platiniupdated: Wed Sep 14 2011 11:16:00

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has denied reports that he plans to hand over power to UEFA chief Michel Platini before the end of his final four-year tenure as the head of world football's governing body.

SI.com: Grant Wahl: Soccer should create own equivalent of NFL Red Zone channelupdated: Thu Sep 08 2011 12:02:00

Another NFL season is upon us, and so is one of the greatest inventions known to man: the NFL Red Zone channel, which whips around from city to city, allowing you to see live look-ins, real-time highlights and all the scoring plays from every NFL game on any given Sunday.

Platini refuses to rule out FIFA presidential runupdated: Mon May 30 2011 10:06:00

UEFA president Michel Platini has refused to rule out the possibility of standing against Sepp Blatter in FIFA's controversial presidential race, if Wednesday's election is postponed.

UEFA's Michel Platini Speaks to CNNupdated: Sat May 28 2011 12:42:00

UEFA President Michel Platini about the Champions League Final and FIFA corruption allegations.

Platini: FIFA must come back to footballupdated: Sat May 28 2011 12:42:00

Michel Platini has positioned himself for a future tilt at the FIFA presidency by claiming that world soccer's ruling body needs to be run by sporting specialists rather than administrators such as the incumbent Sepp Blatter.

Football 'cathedral' prepares for finalupdated: Wed May 25 2011 19:40:00

In the world of football, Wembley is more than a stadium. It's a shrine.

SI.com: Grant Wahl: What happened when I ran for FIFA presidentupdated: Wed May 04 2011 11:22:00

On Feb. 17, Sports Illustrated senior writer Grant Wahl announced his candidacy for FIFA president, releasing his platform for change and his campaign video as the People's Choice to replace Sepp Blatter. Wahl had 43 days to be formally nominated by one of the world's 208 national federations before the final deadline: Friday at 6 p.m. ET. With the deadline about to hit, Wahl is ending his campaign. This is his inside story of what happened over the past six weeks.

Blatter blames domestic leagues for international conflictsupdated: Wed Jan 05 2011 11:37:00

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has called for a reduction in the size of domestic competitions in order to improve the standard of international football.

Platini to continue as UEFA presidentupdated: Tue Dec 28 2010 06:38:00

European football's governing body UEFA has confirmed that Michel Platini will continue as president for another four years.

Platini scorns goal-line technology planupdated: Mon Oct 25 2010 11:35:00

UEFA president Michel Platini claims that goal-line technology is not needed in soccer, stating it would lead to "PlayStation football."

SI.com: Georgina Turner: Great international hat tricksupdated: Mon Sep 06 2010 12:28:00

As well as upping weekend revenue for DIY stores everywhere, the international break produced two hat-tricks -- one each for Jermain Defoe (England) and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Netherlands). Variety, technique, a dollop of selfishness, they all go into the mix to score a treble at this level, and competitive international hat tricks are getting harder to come by -- the last three World Cups have produced about a quarter of the total produced by the first three. Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain bagged one this summer with the same cool exterior as his predecessor Gabriel Batistuta, but an international hat trick of tournament-changing magnitude, of tear-jerking quality or just of eyebrow-raising novelty is a rare thing indeed. Here's a list of memorable ones:

France wins right to host Euro 2016updated: Fri May 28 2010 13:18:00

France has been chosen to host the 2016 European Football Championship.

Platini bemoans Champions League focus on coachesupdated: Fri May 21 2010 16:04:00

UEFA president Michel Platini says he is disappointed that the buildup to Saturday's Champions League final between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich has been dominated by the coaches, and not the players.

British government plan greater fan powerupdated: Tue Mar 30 2010 05:24:00

British football fans could have a greater say in the way their club is run after the national government confirmed they are investigating a raft of radical measures to reform the game.

Adebayor slams 'outrageous' decision to ban his teamupdated: Sun Jan 31 2010 13:59:00

Togo captain Emmanuel Adebayor has labeled as "outrageous" the controversial decision to ban his side from the next two Africa Cup of Nations.

Platini confident on 2012 hostsupdated: Fri Dec 11 2009 11:55:00

UEFA president Michel Platini has stated that he believes Ukraine and Poland will be ready host the European Championships in 2012.

200 games under scrutiny in match-fixing probeupdated: Sat Nov 21 2009 04:41:00

German prosecutors said Friday they are investigating a huge match-fixing scandal with more than 200 games under scrutiny and 17 people arrested.

15 arrests in huge match-fixing scandalupdated: Fri Nov 20 2009 15:17:00

Prosecutors in Germany are investigating a huge match-fixing scandal with over 200 games under scrutiny and 15 arrests made.

SI.com: Gabriele Marcotti: UEFA takes small, but logical step toward fiscal sanityupdated: Mon Sep 28 2009 10:59:00

We knew it was coming sooner or later. Michel Platini, president of UEFA, had said as much. And now we're one step closer, after UEFA approved what it calls the "concept" of "financial fair play."

Platini plans war on football debtupdated: Fri Aug 28 2009 05:34:00

Michel Platini, the president of the governing body for European football (UEFA), has revealed plans to bring in new financial regulations to prevent clubs spending beyond their means in a bid to curb the debt within football.

UEFA to investigate Eduardo diving incidentupdated: Thu Aug 27 2009 11:02:00

Arsenal striker Eduardo could face a two-match Champions League ban if European football's governing body UEFA decide to charge him with diving.

Platini hits out at Ronaldo Real Madrid dealupdated: Fri Jun 12 2009 13:20:00

Michel Platini, the president of the governing body for European football (UEFA), has hit out at the large fee offered by Real Madrid for the Portugal playmaker Cristiano Ronaldo.

Michel Platini 1-on-1updated: Wed May 27 2009 09:18:00

CNN's Pedro Pinto chats with UEFA President Michel Platini about the upcoming Champions League final.

Platini: Don't come to Rome without a ticketupdated: Wed May 27 2009 09:18:00

Michel Platini, the president of the governing body for European football (UEFA) has exclusively told CNN that he urges fans not to travel to the Champions League final in Rome without a ticket -- in the wake of news that a Briton needed hospital treatment after being stabbed.

Platini warns hosts Ukraine over Euro 2012updated: Wed May 13 2009 14:56:00

UEFA president Michel Platini has cast fresh doubt over Ukraine's co-hosting of Euro 2012 with Poland after the latest inspections by European football's governing body.

Liverpool in Hillsborough anniversary pleaupdated: Mon Mar 16 2009 12:29:00

Liverpool want to avoid playing on the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster and UEFA president Michel Platini says he will "do his utmost" to make it a reality.

SI.com: Gabriele Marcotti: Euro proposal is a case of the rich getting richerupdated: Wed Feb 18 2009 12:37:00

A little more than a week ago, I was invited to a roundtable chat with UEFA president Michel Platini. One phrase stood out: "We need to reintroduce the concept of morality in football. We have to permit everybody to have a chance to win."

SI.com: World Soccer: Will credit crunch force Euro leagues into salary caps?updated: Fri Feb 13 2009 13:38:00

Michel Platini has been an eager advocate of the introduction of salary caps since his election as the president of UEFA. His idealism, as well as his power base among the smaller nations of Europe, makes him a natural supporter of a scheme that might reduce the power of the giant clubs of England, Italy and Spain, and allow many more teams a realistic chance of winning trophies.

Champions League loses its lusterupdated: Tue Dec 16 2008 05:55:00

Sometimes less is more and this maxim might well have been coined for the UEFA Champions League.

SI.com: Gabriele Marcotti:Financial meltdown puts focus on a big problemupdated: Mon Oct 13 2008 11:04:00

Perhaps it was always going to take the meltdown of the financial markets to get the folks who run the game to take an interest in things like ownership and debt. Whatever the case may be, it's better late than never.

English clubs warned over $5.2B debt mountainupdated: Tue Oct 07 2008 16:36:00

The head of England's Football Association believes that the global credit crisis could force one of the country's top teams into bankruptcy.

Is Wenger's policy the way forward?updated: Fri Sep 26 2008 14:14:00

In the week that UEFA President Michel Platini criticized Arsene Wenger for having a "business" mentality rather than a "footballing" one, the Arsenal manager sent out a team with an average age of just 19 to win 6-0 in the Carling Cup.

SI.com: Gabriele Marcotti: Instant replay may be a good idea, but it's a tricky oneupdated: Thu Sep 25 2008 13:57:00

Earlier this week, UEFA President Michel Platini and Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger got involved in a somewhat petty dispute over video replay and what Platini reportedly described as Wenger being a man "of business," whereas Platini is a man "of football."

SI.com: Gavin Hamilton: Van Basten on what's next for him, Dutch soccerupdated: Tue Jul 01 2008 10:32:00

Marco van Basten came up short of his dream ending as Netherlands manager when Russia upset the Oranje in the quarterfinals of the 2008 European Championship. The former Dutch legend decided long before the Euros that this would be his last stint as national-team manager. I spoke with van Basten just before the tournament about what's next for him and Dutch soccer.

Michel Platini on racismupdated: Fri Jun 20 2008 12:10:00

UEFA President Michel Platini talks to CNN's Pedro Pinto about what UEFA is doing to tackle racism in football.

Racism still a reality in European footballupdated: Fri Jun 20 2008 12:10:00

Luther Blissett remembers vividly what it was like walking out into an Italian stadium when he played for AC Milan in the early 1980s.

Battling racism in the 1980'supdated: Thu Jun 19 2008 05:45:00

CNN's Don Riddell speaks to former soccer star Paul Canoville about how he overcame racial abuse on and off the pitch.

Playing against prejudiceupdated: Thu Jun 19 2008 05:45:00

So often it starts with just a provocative word, and in my case it was three ... "Black and Blue". A phrase more commonly used to describe bruising and pain had been used as the title of an autobiography by Chelsea's first black footballer, Paul Canoville.

European Championships past winnersupdated: Tue Jun 03 2008 06:13:00

This year's tournament will be the 13th European Championship finals. Here is a summary of how the other 12 competitions were decided.

SI.com: Soccer America: Is Ruud Gullit the man to revive the L.A. Galaxy?updated: Fri May 23 2008 12:37:00

There are more pounds around the middle and less hair up top these days as perhaps the most powerful yet graceful player ever produced in Europe slides toward his 46th birthday, his playing days long past and an oft-aborted coaching career in its fourth phase.

Bernabeu will host 2010 Champions finalupdated: Fri Mar 28 2008 16:28:00

Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium will be the venue for the 2010 Champions League final.

Carrying a torch for traditionupdated: Mon Mar 24 2008 07:35:00

The Olympic flame on Monday began its 34-day journey around the world ahead of the 2008 Beijing Games. Here are some facts about the centuries-old traditions behind the relay and its modern development.

Cardiff could profit from rule changeupdated: Thu Mar 13 2008 10:39:00

The English Football Association is to reconsider its rules on UEFA Cup qualification, which could clear the way for Cardiff City to play in the tournament as English representatives if they lift the FA Cup.

Platini renews criticism of English planupdated: Mon Mar 03 2008 08:36:00

UEFA president Michel Platini believes that the English Premier League plan for a 39th fixture to be played overseas is principally designed to help English club's to cope with growing debts.

UEFA step up matchfixing inquiriesupdated: Sat Dec 01 2007 09:49:00

UEFA have asked police organization Europol to investigate 15 cases of suspected matchfixing officials confirmed in Lucerne on Saturday.

Champions final moved to Saturdayupdated: Fri Nov 30 2007 14:11:00

UEFA have decided the Champions League final will be staged on a Saturday from the 2009-10 season.

Star players worried by violenceupdated: Wed Nov 14 2007 13:53:00

Top footballers could shun Italian clubs and look to play in Spain or England in preference if soccer-related violence continues says Valencia's international striker Fernando Morientes.

Platini cup winners plan rejectedupdated: Mon Nov 12 2007 16:54:00

UEFA president Michel Platini has conceded defeat on his controversial plan which would have seen winners of national cup competitions qualify for the Champions League.

Henry eclipses Platini's goal markupdated: Thu Oct 18 2007 06:22:00

The immediate significance of Thierry Henry's two late goals against Lithuania on Wednesday was to rescue a faltering France and keep them on course for Euro 2008.

Henry shines but Scots face crunchupdated: Wed Oct 17 2007 17:44:00

Scotland face the prospect of having to beat world champions Italy in their final qualifying clash if they are to reach the 2008 European Championships finals after slumping to a 2-0 defeat in Georgia on Wednesday.

Scots win to stay on top of groupupdated: Sat Oct 13 2007 17:17:00

Scotland maintained their lead at the top of the highly competitive Group B in the Euro 2008 qualifiers when they beat Ukraine 3-1 at Hampden Park.

Platini to revamp Champions Leagueupdated: Wed Aug 29 2007 23:40:00

The Champions League will almost certainly be revamped in 2009, with domestic cup winners given a place in the qualifying stages, UEFA president Michel Platini has revealed.

SI.com: Gavin Hamilton: Platini's drastic Champions League plan takes shapeupdated: Tue Aug 28 2007 02:53:00

The draw for the group stage of the Champions League takes place on Thursday in Monte Carlo as the movers and shakers of European soccer congregate for their annual get-together, organized by governing body UEFA.

Domenech warned over bribe claimsupdated: Fri Aug 10 2007 03:24:00

France national coach Raymond Domenech has been warned by UEFA that he will face sanctions if he is unable to back up his allegations of match-fixing against Italy, a month before the nations meet in a Euro 2008 qualifier.

SI.com: World Soccer: Legendary Beckenbauer talks FIFA, Bayern, Germanyupdated: Wed Aug 08 2007 02:18:00

Former German national-team hero Franz Beckenbauer is a World Cup winner both as a player (1974) and a coach (1990). During a 19-year professional career, he won nearly every title there is with Bayern Munich, the New York Cosmos and Hamburger SV. Now he has a new role with FIFA. The man known as "The Kaiser" talks to World Soccer's Gavin Hamilton.

Poland, Ukraine win Euro 2012 voteupdated: Wed Apr 18 2007 05:57:00

Poland and Ukraine have been chosen to stage the 2012 European Championships, UEFA president Michel Platini announced in Cardiff on Wednesday.

UEFA launch two-part Lille inquiryupdated: Wed Feb 21 2007 06:25:00

UEFA opened investigations on Wednesday into the trouble on and off the field during Lille's Champions League loss to Manchester United.

Platini wants clubs to set exampleupdated: Mon Feb 19 2007 13:21:00

Newly-elected UEFA president Michel Platini has urged the 16 clubs taking part in this week's Champions League matches to set an example as soccer seeks to clean up an image tarnished by recent outbreaks of violence.

Taylor favorite for top UEFA postupdated: Thu Feb 08 2007 14:56:00

David Taylor, the head of the Scottish Football Association, has emerged as the favourite to succeed Lars-Christer Olsson as chief executive of UEFA, European football's governing body.

UEFA chief executive Olsson quitsupdated: Thu Feb 01 2007 12:13:00

Swede Lars-Christer Olsson has resigned as UEFA chief executive after reaching a settlement with European football's governing body.

German football head Hackmann diesupdated: Sun Jan 28 2007 13:15:00

German football league head Werner Hackmann has died at the age of 59, the country's Football Association (DFB) has confirmed.

Henry closes on French goal recordupdated: Wed Nov 15 2006 17:04:00

Thierry Henry was on target as France finished the year on a high by beating European champions Greece 1-0 at the Stade de France in a friendly on Wednesday.

Holders Nancy reach quarterfinalsupdated: Tue Oct 24 2006 16:31:00

Holders Nancy reached the French League Cup quarterfinals with a 2-1 home win over Toulouse on Tuesday.

Chretien extends Nancy's great runupdated: Sat Oct 21 2006 16:29:00

Surprise package Nancy extended their strong start to the season with a 1-0 home win over bottom club Nantes on Saturday to hold on to third place in France's Ligue 1.

Zidane and Henry key for Les Bleusupdated: Sat Jul 08 2006 13:58:00

French stars Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry can propel France to World Cup glory over Italy Sunday evening said Les Bleus legend Michel Platini.

Fortune: The World Cup and the global economic battleupdated: Wed Jun 07 2006 11:34:00

Soccer's World Cup starts Friday, and I will spend way too much time watching it on TV (with all the weekday games airing during East Coast working hours, this may cause problems). My son and I will even fly to Germany for a couple of games, and I could easily fill page after Web page with half-informed rantings about the Netherlands' inscrutably brilliant coach, England's dorky new star, and the USA's balding-but-spry goalie. But I won't.

Henry on target as France impress updated: Wed May 31 2006 17:02:00

Thierry Henry and Sylvain Wiltord each scored Wednesday to help France beat Denmark 2-0 in a World Cup warmup match at Lens.

Help us choose the World Cup Dream Teamupdated: Mon May 01 2006 12:06:00

Throughout the World Cup, CNN is compiling its own "Dream Team" of the greatest-ever players who have competed in the tournament.

Michel Platiniupdated: Mon May 01 2006 08:47:00

France | Midfielder

Nancy hoping for a repeat in finalupdated: Thu Apr 20 2006 05:40:00

Nancy hope history will repeat itself when they face Nice in the French League Cup final at the Stade de France on Saturday.

Johansson confirms retirement planupdated: Mon Jan 09 2006 10:24:00

Lennart Johansson, president of European soccer's governing body UEFA, has said he will not be standing for another term in 2007.

Fans flock to European cup finalupdated: Wed May 25 2005 07:03:00

Turkish police, assisted by British and Italian colleagues, are on high alert as fans flock to Istanbul for Wednesday night's Champions' League final between Liverpool and AC Milan.

German want 'Kaiser' as UEFA chiefupdated: Fri Mar 18 2005 11:02:00

The German football federation's (DFB) executive committee has unanimously endorsed Franz Beckenbauer as a candidate for UEFA's presidency.

Blanc keen to become France coachupdated: Fri Jul 02 2004 09:02:00

Former international defender Laurent Blanc wants the France manager's job while Monaco coach Didier Deschamps definitively ruled himself out on Friday.

Blanc wins support of presidentupdated: Sun Jun 27 2004 06:43:00

Former France internationals Laurent Blanc and Jean Tigana have emerged as the favorites to succeed Jacques Santini following France's humiliating early exit from the European Championships.

Collina's refereeing upsets Frenchupdated: Thu May 20 2004 10:30:00

Marseille president Christophe Bouchet plans to write to European soccer's governing body regarding Pierluigi Collina's refereeing in the UEFA Cup final.

St Etienne secure French promotionupdated: Sat May 08 2004 09:22:00

Record 10 times French champions St Etienne have won promotion back to Division One after three years.

Nice one as St Etienne upset oddsupdated: Wed Jan 14 2004 17:22:00

Former greats St Etienne caused the upset of the French League Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday when the Second Division club beat Ligue 1 favourites Nice 2-0.

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