Platini never won the WC- perhaps was bit unlucky! Like France of 98-2000 they won everything- the Olympics, European Championship, except the WC. Their 4 midfielder scenario helped them a lot- but sadly, they always lacked a striker in 86 (their best team so far). Yannick Stpoyra, a young and inexperienced Pain and Daniel Xuereb could not score for them. If only Cantona was there, they could have made it.
Whover the greater, one thing for sure, Rediff readers do not care much about football, or say anything other than cricket. If Sachin has a stomach upset, there will be 100 people eager to write their comments; Platini vs Zindane - who are they?
RE:Platini vs Zidane
by bmukh on Jun 05, 2006 05:59 PM
Don't loose heart- theer are still some socceer buffs out there! Adding my two pence to it- Yes! I grew up watching Platini. They were the favourites to win 1986. They had won everything on their path. However, France's too much emphasis on midfield and lack of any quality striker (Stopyra, Xuereb, a young Papin and Rocheteau) did not help their cause. Add to it `one bad day at office' for Bats! How I cried when they lost to Germany. To be fair, France never controlled the midfield on that day.
The comparison between the greats of yester-years and the current lot may be unfair! The 100 meter sprint timings improved upon from 9.95 secs by Jim hynes to 9.7 secs. Going by the logic of these apperant improvements if we had a similar measure, the recent lot of footballers would certainly be placed higher than their counterparts of old-era in terms of skill & physical fitness. Nevertheless, the sublime skills of Zidane & his achievements outshines the footballing genius of Platini if not Maradona who in former's words, came from other planet! (Are Pele fans listening?)
