In the world of European Football, 1984 was all about one man.
French forward Michel Platini was already a star, having won the Ballon d’Or in 1983 by an incredible 85 point margin, enjoying a successful first year with his new club Juventus following a move from Saint-Etienne for a mere £100,000.
That campaign wasn’t without its disappointments for the ‘Old Lady’ of Italian football and the player himself. They reached the 1984 European Cup final, unfortunately losing out to Hamburger SV yet did manage to win the Italian Cup.
But one tournament above all else remains synonymous to his enduring legacy. The arrival of summer 1984 and its European Championships ultimately delivered the Frenchman his second Ballon d’Or trophy.
Michel Platini became the undisputed King of Europe.
Second Season Success
Following a fantastic first season in Serie A with Juventus, Platini went on to win 1983’s Ballon d’Or, now he was ready for an all-conquering second campaign with the Italian giants.
During the 1983/84 season, Platini scored 25 goals in 43 games across all competitions. In the league alone he netted 20 times in just 28 appearances and in the process became Serie A’s top scorer.
Juventus were crowned Italian Champions as they held off the challenge from Roma to win the league title with a match to spare.
The France international showed his class on the continent too and scored five goals in nine European games. The Turin club claimed the Cup Winners Cup after defeating Porto 2-1 in the final.
Perhaps Platini’s domestic displays may have proven enough to secure his second Ballon d’Or in two years.
However, at the season’s end it was time for Euro 84 and the defining moments of Platini’s career.
Sensational European Superstar
In 1984, Platini captained France to glory in the European Championship on home soil. It was his remarkable individual impact on the tournament and relentlessness to succeed that lives fondly in the memory even today.
He scored an incredible nine out of France’s 14 goals across just five games during the competition and unsurprisingly finished as Euro 84’s top scorer. It is the most goals scored by one player in a European Championship. A statistic that highlights the Frenchman’s formidable form going into the tournament.
Platini scored the winner in France’s opening match against Denmark, followed by a “perfect” hat-trick (a combination of one left-footed goal, one right-footed finish and a header) vs Belgium as France finished top of their first-round group with a 100% record.
In an epic semi-final against Portugal, Platini scored in the last minute of extra time to secure a memorable 3-2 victory!
In the final vs Spain, Platini opened the scoring with a free kick, as France went on to beat Spain 2-0 and secure their first major title in international football.
1984’s Ballon d’Or should be remembered as the accolade awarded for one of the most single-handedly influential sets of performances ever witnessed on the global stage.
1984 Ballon d’Or Top 20
| Rank | Name | Club(s) | Nationality | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michel Platini | Juventus | France | 128 |
| 2 | Jean Tigana | Bordeaux | France | 57 |
| 3 | Preben Elkjær | Hellas Verona | Denmark | 48 |
| 4 | Ian Rush | Liverpool | Wales | 44 |
| 5 | Fernando Chalana | Bordeaux | Portugal | 18 |
| 6 | Graeme Souness | Sampdoria | Scotland | 16 |
| 7 | Harald Schumacher | 1. FC Köln | West Germany | 12 |
| 8 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | Internazionale | West Germany | 10 |
| 9 | Alain Giresse | Bordeaux | France | 9 |
| 10 | Bryan Robson | Manchester United | England | 7 |
| 11 | Bernd Schuster | Barcelona | West Germany | 6 |
| 12 | Enzo Scifo | Anderlecht | Belgium | 5 |
| Maxime Bossis | Nantes | France | ||
| 14 | Klaus Allofs | 1. FC Köln | West Germany | 3 |
| Antonio Cabrini | Juventus | Italy | ||
| Hans-Peter Briegel | Verona | West Germany | ||
| Rui Jordão | Sporting CP | Portugal | ||
| 18 | Paul McStay | Celtic | Scotland | 2 |
| Jesper Olsen | Manchester United | Denmark | ||
| Morten Olsen | Anderlecht | Denmark | ||
| Gordon Strachan | Manchester United | Scotland |
Trivia
Following Michel Platini’s spectacular international record in 1984, he would never again score more than 2 goals in a calendar year for his country.
Despite scoring just one single goal for Bordeaux in 1983/84, John Tigana was instrumental in leading them to the Ligue 1 title and a vital part of France’s victorious European Championship side.
Preben Elkjær-Larsen’s third place finish was a reflection of his performances in Euro 84, scoring twice in four games for Denmark on their way to the semi-finals.
