Platini’s revenge: Former UEFA boss sues FIFA figures after acquittal
Platini reopens the fight
Platini said on RMC’s L'After Foot that the lawsuit is only the first move in what could become a broader effort to go after people he says damaged his reputation before any court had ruled on the case. He was definitively acquitted by Swiss courts in August 2025 after a years long legal battle over a 2 million Swiss franc payment approved by former FIFA President Sepp Blatter in 2011.
Speaking on RMC, Platini said:
"This is the first step; there will be others. I will not let go of the people who wronged me. This is primarily a media-driven approach. These are people who accused me of many things before there was an official ruling. And they leaked these accusations to newspapers to hurt me. Afterward there could be a new civil lawsuit; I will not give up."
The case that wrecked his FIFA bid
According to 20 Minutes, the defamation complaint concerns public statements made about a decade ago by three former FIFA members whose names have not been made public. The original case involving Michel Platini and Sepp Blatter centered on the 2011 payment of 2 million Swiss francs.
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Swiss prosecutors argued that the payment had been improperly obtained to FIFA’s detriment, while Platini and Blatter said it was delayed compensation based on a verbal agreement for advisory work.
When the matter became public in 2015, it effectively destroyed Platini’s bid to become FIFA President. That collapse helped open the way for Gianni Infantino, who had worked closely with Platini at UEFA before later rising to the top of FIFA.
Shadow of the 2015 FIFA crisis
Platini’s downfall unfolded during the wider 2015 FIFA corruption crisis, when the organization was rocked by arrests, investigations and serious allegations of bribery and misconduct.
Even though Platini was not accused in the same corruption cases that led to charges against several FIFA officials, the controversy surrounding the payment from Sepp Blatter placed him at the center of the crisis that shook football’s governing bodies.
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That same year, FIFA’s Ethics Committee suspended Platini from football related activity while the case was being examined. The sanction was later converted into a multi year ban from football roles, effectively ending his hopes of taking control of FIFA at the time.
Questions that followed him at UEFA
Platini’s record at UEFA remains influential but divisive. As UEFA President from 2007 to 2015, he was praised in some quarters for pushing reforms and expanding the political reach of European football.
However, his leadership also faced criticism from clubs and administrators. Some argued that certain UEFA decisions during his presidency, including reforms to European competitions and revenue distribution in tournaments such as the Champions League, favored particular leagues or football structures.
Criticism also surrounded several governance decisions made during his time leading UEFA, adding to debates about how power was exercised within European football.
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Debate over the Blatter payment
Even after his acquittal, debate has continued around the 2 million Swiss franc payment from Sepp Blatter. While the courts cleared Platini, the payment remained one of the most politically damaging episodes of his career because it fueled years of suspicion about transparency and internal power struggles inside FIFA.
The distinction between legal acquittal and lasting reputational damage continues to shape discussion around his fall from football’s leadership.
Fresh attack on Gianni Infantino
Platini also used the RMC appearance to aim fresh criticism at current FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Platini said:
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"I think he is not good at politics. He is a good administrator. He is a big fan of people who are rich and powerful. He has always been like that."
The interview suggests that Platini is not treating his acquittal as the end of the story, but rather as the starting point of a new legal and political confrontation.
Source: 20 Minutes
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