i. European Championship '84
In 1984, Michel Platini set a record by scoring 9 goals in 5 games at the European Championship, including two consecutive perfect hat-tricks - right, left, header -, the decisive extra-timer in the Semi-Final and the 1st goal of the Final. A month after winning the European Cup Winners' Cup with Juve, Michel Platini signed a performance arguably only rivaled by Pelé's in '70 and Maradona's in '86. Before, France had never won anything, in any major sport. After, it slowly started to win, in all sports.
Ii. The midfielder top-scorer
Free-kick to go to WC Spain '82
Winning Euro '84 almost on his own, Michel Platini also set a new record for the number of goals with the French jersey, that he would later bring to 41 -- including 11 free-kicks. In 72 caps, this means an exceptional 0.57 goal per cap for a midfielder. Striker Thierry Henry hit 0.41 and fellow #10 Zinédine Zidane ended at 0.29 whereas both played in more goal-prolific years. Michel Platini was equally prolific and decisive in club and with the national squad, never missing a duel with a keeper, scoring in all positions: header, right, left, short range, long range, lob, contre-pied...
IIi. WORLD CUP MEXICO '86
[WC Mexico '86] Two years after Euro '84, France eliminated Brazil in a World Cup for the 1st time ever (penalty shoot-out), just after having eliminated Italy for the 1st time ever... Despite a severe tendinitis, Platini scored in both games and France, together with the Brazilian stars, reached a level qualified by Pelé as the "Most Beautiful Match Ever". The "Carré magique" of Michel Platini with Alain Giresse, Jean Tigana and Luis Fernandez probably was the best midfield ever.
IV. WORLD CUP ESPANA '82
Two years before Euro '84, France reached the World Cup Semi-Finals for the 1st time since 1958, despite Platini's pubalgia. In the Semi-Final, Platini equalized for France who later lost in the 1st ever penalty shoot-out of the World Cup history. The leap forward achieved by the Nation, the beauty of the game displayed and the exceptional drama of the game qualify this "Match of the Century" vs. West Germany alone as a masterpiece. Everybody remembers where they were the night of Sevilla.
V. LA VECCHIA SIGNORA '82-'87
With Juve, Michel Platini simply won everything, all team and individual titles, including an exceptional World Champion of Clubs title in Tokyo. His complicity with Zbigniew Boniek, the elegance of Marco Tardelli, Antonio Cabrini and Gaetano Scirea, Dino Zoff, the efficiency of Paolo Rossi and later talent of Michael Laudrup, all led by the tactical genius of Giovanni Trapattoni under Il Avocatto Giovanni Agnelli's wing, constituted the best team of the 80's, along with Sacchi's Milan A.C. later in the decade. Even their jersey is a landmark now. And Le Roi was their master in legendary duels with Diego Maradona and Zico.