Michel Platini spoke to the press after being definitively acquitted of corruption on Tuesday. The former UEFA president expressed a sense of relief.
Embed from Getty Images
Michel Platini, the former UEFA president, spoke to the press on Tuesday in Switzerland after being definitively cleared of corruption charges that had followed him for a decade.
Visibly emotional, Platini said this moment marked the end of a long period of personal and professional suffering. "My honour has been restored," he said. "The ten years of intimidation by FIFA and a few Swiss federal prosecutors are now over."
The case revolved around a payment of 1.8 million euros that Platini received from FIFA in 2011. Swiss prosecutors alleged the payment was unlawful, but Platini consistently defended it as unpaid salary for advisory work he had done between 1998 and 2002. From the beginning, he maintained that there was an oral agreement between him and then-FIFA president Sepp Blatter. The payment, according to Platini, was fully declared and taxed, and he has always insisted that it was legitimate compensation for work performed. "No one at home ever believed I was guilty of anything," he said, once again underlining his innocence.
Despite his confidence in the truth, the timing of the investigation had serious consequences for Platini’s career. In 2015, he was considered the favourite to succeed Sepp Blatter as FIFA president, a role that many saw as his destiny. However, the investigation and resulting suspension from football abruptly ended his campaign and removed him from the running. Looking back, Platini has no doubts about the motive behind the accusations. "I’ve known the story from the very beginning, and I know it was a conspiracy to stop me from becoming FIFA president. That was the goal. And they achieved it."
Now that he has been officially acquitted, Platini points to the lack of an appeal from prosecutors as further proof that the case was politically driven and lacked substance. "They don’t even bother to appeal. They know very well they’ve already lost. And so do we," he said. For Platini, this wasn’t just a legal battle, it was a fight to clear his name and restore his place in the world of football. "It was more than a court case. It was a personal and professional assassination. For ten years, my name was dragged through the mud. But those who truly know me never doubted me."
Although he is now free from legal troubles, the experience has left deep marks. Once seen as one of the most influential figures in world football, Platini has spent the past years in what he describes as a kind of exile forced out of the sport he dedicated his life to. While he remains passionate about football, he says his focus now is on peace and dignity rather than returning to positions of power. "Football is in my blood, but I have to think about my family, my peace of mind, and my honour. That matters more than any job title."
He also used the moment to reflect on the dangers of allowing politics and hidden agendas to influence football leadership. "We must never again allow personal interests and power games to dictate who leads this sport. Football should belong to those who love it the players, the fans, the real people not to those who manipulate power behind closed doors."
As he concluded his statement, Platini thanked his legal team, his family, and everyone who supported him throughout what he called the most painful chapter of his life. "This is not just a personal victory. It’s proof that the truth matters. Even when it’s buried under lies and politics, even when the system is against you, justice can still win. That’s what happened today. Justice won."
Updated: 12:33, 25 Mar 2025
