European Player of the Year. Michel Platini was voted number 1, just like in 1983, but his second consecutive award perhaps reflected his finest season.
No point to praise the midfield genius in detail. 1983-84 was wonderful season – was it his personal best is debatable, but he achieved a lot exactly at that time.
Everything clicked just right at Juventus and the team was at its peak. With France, Platini won the European Championship. Of course, it was largely the European finals tipping the scales in his favour, but unlike his rivals Platini had it all together – wonderful and successful on both club and national team level. So, 24 of the 26 voting participants put him number 1 and the remaining two placed him second. Those two thought gave the top place to Jean Tigana and Ian Rush, but neither was able to come even remotely close to Platini – it was almost full and universal agreement that the 29-years old French star was supreme. Jean Tigana (France and Bordeaux) came 2nd and Preben Elkjaer-Larsen (Denmark and Hellas Verona) – 3rd. Which was also telling: both players were voted high largely because of their strong performance at the European finals. On the other hand, Ian Rush (Wales and Liverpool), 4th, was great at club level, but playing for weak national team prevented him for going higher – the European finals were the main factor for the journalists. Platini, solely, had it both – success on both levels and captaining the new European champions certainly helped a lot, yet, it was not just that. Well deserved award, perhaps one of the most convincing choices of best player of the year ever. And now Michel Platini was European Player of the Year twice, and he was 3rd in 1977 and 1980.
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