Ok, so he was part of a very impressive team, but the same can be said for pele at all his WC and for Cruijff in 74, you make it sound that the fact he was surrounded by other good players makes his achievements less impressive...
Platini 1 x French Championship : 1980-1981 1 x French Cup : 1977-1978 2 x Serie A Championship : 1983-1984, 1985-1986 1 x Italian Cup : 1982-1983 1 x Cup Winners Cup : 1983-1984 1 x European Cup : 1984-1985 1 x European Super Cup : 1984 1 x Intercontinental Cup : 1985 1 x European Championship : 1984 1 x European Championship Top Scorer : 1984 3 x European Footballer of the Year : 1983, 1984, 1985 2 x World Soccer Player of the Year : 1984, 1985 Zidane 2 x Serie A Championship : 1996-1997, 1997-1998 1 x European Super Cup : 1996 1 x Intercontinental Cup : 1996 1 x European Championship : 2000 1 x World Cup : 1998 1 x FIFA World Player of the Year : 1998 1 x World Soccer Player of the Year : 1998 1 x European Player of the Year : 1998 1 x Champions League 2001-2002
Kopa 3 European Cups - 1957/58/59 1 Runner Up - 1956 4 French Championships - 1953/55/60/62 2 Spanish Championships - 1957/58 European Footballer of the Year 1958 World Cup 3rd place 1958 Didn't get the chance in Super Cups / Intecontinental Cups.
Zidane's honours are far superior, The World Cup and European Championship double, 2 Serie A titles, the Champions league, and his career is not even over yet. He's already achieved more, and we're not even talking about his superior ability as a footballer. There is nothing Platini could do or has done to beat Zidane, achievements, skill, ability, nothing.
I just reject this analysis completely. It's pretty silly when you think about it. You should look at team accomplishments to judge teams, not individual players. You look at how players perform to judge players.
How can you look at that list and say "far superior"? Platini had everything that Zidane has except a world cup plus two more world soccer player of the year, one more european player of the year.
Because he's only 29 with 5 years left, and has still won more including 2 Serie A titles. Platini won less after his entire career. You cannot say 'only' the World Cup. France have never won it before and would not have won it without him. It's the greatest prize in football, that alone makes his achievements far superior. Add to that Zidane is a far better player in every department apart from speed.
I should also add that he was awarded the Legion d'Honeur in 1970 (I think). The first footballer to be given such an accolade. Not that it will make any difference, as most seem intent on ignoring anyone who played before the 1980's.
What about goalscoring? Platini's scoring record for Juventus from midfield was comparable to (if not better than) any striker of the day, and 41 goals in 72 internationals is a phenomonal record for anyone.
Ok, They are different players. I'll give you Platini has scored MORE goals so far without the quality of the average Zidane goal, because he's a different type of player. Zidane is a Figo/Giggs/Beckham type, he's not about scoring tons of goals, he's a creative midfielder who runs and drives a team, pulling the strings for others to score and scoring amazing goals. It depends what you consider to be greater, scoring a lot of goals or play making. The overall game of Zidane is more impressive, I've never been amazed by things Platini did compared to Zidane.
I remember when Juventus signed Zidane, and the manager was told "you'll love him - he's a real crowd pleaser" Zidane can do amazing things, but I do think that he needs a certain quality of players around him to thrive. Platini, I belive, would survive better on a lesser team. I'm playing devil's advocate a bit here, I was never a huge Platini fan ( but I do recognize his undoubted qualities), and Zidane is one of the most gifted players of recent times (I would rather wait until his career is over before I rate him in the overall scheme of things). I do think it's all quite redundant, however, as Kopa is one of the greatest players of all time. Fontaine would never have scored 13 goals in one World Cup without him. It's just a shame television never had the chance of showing him to the world at large (see also Puskas, Kocsis, Kubala, Di Stefano, Zamora, Schiaffino, the Grenoli trio).
As the old cliche goes it's all subjective and players played in different era's and teams. I think Platini himself was very jealous and bitter when he insulted Zidane claiming he was not one of the greats, I can't remember what he said exactly. It's interesting that Eric Cantona was voted the greatest ever player at Man Utd, but he can't get on this list. He isn't in reality, but still.
That was an online poll. Meaning the respondents were probably composed of 14-year olds by a margin of 5-1. Or, to put it another way, most of them had never HEARD of Law, Best or Charlton, let alone seen them play. Cantona doesn't come into the top six players for United, let alone France. As to the Zidane/Platini thing, if you've seen both play, you've seen who is the best. Both have the ability to make games happen, but when you are talking about two such excellent players you are necessarily in the realm of the semantic. And only one of the above ever managed to be truly, inarguably, imperious in a great team. Platini.
Marinette Pichon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! well who else in france is any good in womens football? for the men...Zidane
Bauser: Well if Platinii retires at 32 and Zidane goes on further, that's Platini's fault. He might not have dominated the WC, but he dominated the final. Face it: without Zidane, France would not have won that game. That is one of the best games I have ever seen by a single player. Also, Zidane turned 30 in June.
Originally posted by soccerfan220 Bauser: Well if Platinii retires at 32 and Zidane goes on further, that's Platini's fault. The careerlength thing was only brought up because someone earlier on the thread used that as an argument to put Zidane above Platini (more trophies in less seasons etc). Time of retirement is irrelevant in this debate. He might not have dominated the WC, but he dominated the final. Face it: without Zidane, France would not have won that game. France dominated the final. Not only Zidane. That is one of the best games I have ever seen by a single player. Two headed goals in a World Cup final looks good on paper, yes. Especially when it comes from a playmaker and also when Guivarc'h and Dugarry up front miss three sitters each in a game which should have ended 6-0 with normal efficiency in front of goal.
Lol you can't compare those players with Zidane,totally different. What is Deschamps doing in that list?Lol! Anyway my vote goes to Platini.Zidane is great and the World Cup 98' wasn't any great compare to Platinis 82' and 86',and we all know the World Cup 98' was buyed.
In terms of dribbling and ball-control Zidane is better but Platini was better at passing and he had a better vision. The way he could read and control the game was simply amazing. Zidane rarely dictates the game the way Platini did. I reckon Platini was a better playmaker. Besides let's not forget that Platini also arguably remains the best goalscoring midfielder ever... 1) Platini 2) Zidane 3) Kopa
He just said that Zidane wasn't comparable to Maradona which some crazy patriotic frenchmen had been led to believe. That is not insulting in my view. That is just pointing out a fact. Zidane is a great player but he is nothing compared to Diego who was at least head and shoulder above him. But Platini vs Zidane? They are even I would say. Both won a Euro championship. Zidane won a WC while Platini just reched the semis twice but you have to take into consideration that France won the WC98 on homesoil. Platini never had the chance of playing a WC at home and I think that if WC82 would have taken place in France they could very well have been the champs. Nor France nor Zidane were totally dominant in WC98 they had problems winning all their matches axcept for the final but believe me that match was WEIRD! I'm not saying that France bought the match but Brazil underperformed in the final I think that it could not be any doubt about that. I mean Brazil would probably have lost to Latvia that day. I'm not saying it was because the french bought the game but rather that the brazilian team was in state of schock after the incident with Ronaldo. They didn't even participate in the warm-up before the match and that is WEIRD because we are talking about a WC final here...