Elegant midfielder Michel Platini was perhaps the best passer of the ball the beautiful game has ever seen. He was also a deadly free-kick specialist, and an incredibly prolific goalscorer. ‘He could thread the ball through the eye of a needle, as well as finish,’ remarked Bobby Charlton.

Born in 1955, Platini scored a remarkable 41 goals in 72 games from midfield for France, including 15 goals in just 18 UFWC games.

After skippering his country to European Championships and UFWC glory in 1984 he was appointed a Knight of the Legion of Honour. He was voted European Footballer of the Year three times in a row in 1983, 1984, and 1985, and World Player of the Year in 1984 and 1985. He later managed France, but failed to match his successes as a player.

Like many of football’s greatest players, Platini never won the World Cup but he can at least add the UFWC title to his impressive list of honours.