The French legend calls for a complete overhaul of Italian football, backs the expanded 48-team World Cup, and rules out a return to Juventus.
Michel Platini believes Italian football needs a radical reset if it hopes to become competitive again on the international stage.
Speaking during the 21st edition of the Fondazione Vialli e Mauro Golf Cup near Turin, the former Juventus and France star delivered a blunt assessment of Italy’s prolonged crisis, saying the Azzurri’s absence from three consecutive World Cups should force the entire system to rethink itself.
“Italy has to start from zero,” Platini said. “It is simply unacceptable that the national team has failed to qualify for the World Cup three times in a row.”
The three-time Ballon d’Or winner pointed to France’s own struggles decades ago as a blueprint for rebuilding.
“When France realized we were no longer regularly reaching World Cups, we decided to reset everything,” Platini explained. “We created a national education and training center for the entire football system, and it eventually produced results. Italian football should consider doing something similar.”
According to Platini, meaningful reform requires involvement beyond clubs and federations.
“In France, it was a political decision, not just a football decision,” he said. “We organized a kind of general assembly of French football and focused on developing talent. Italian football can be reborn, but only if everyone recognizes the problem and works together.”
Platini also defended FIFA’s decision to expand the World Cup to 48 teams, arguing that football can no longer remain centered exclusively around Europe.
“I also wanted to make changes to the number of teams when I was involved in football administration,” he admitted. “You can’t have a tournament with seventeen European nations and only four African teams. That might have made sense years ago, but not anymore.”
“There are many African teams today that can compete with European sides. Football has developed everywhere in the world, and we need to open up to new countries. I don’t know if 40 or 48 teams is the perfect number, or if Europe should simply have fewer spots, but something had to change.”
As for the tournament itself, Platini sees France as the team to beat.
“For me, France are the favorites,” he said. “And if they don’t win it, then I’ll say Portugal. I’ve watched very little of the World Cup so far because it’s still too early. I’ll start following it more closely from the Round of 32 onward. But I really liked the new player introductions before matches.”
The French icon also addressed speculation about a possible return to Juventus, firmly dismissing the idea.
“When I think about Juventus, I think about the fans, the wonderful years I spent there and the Agnelli family,” Platini said. “But I won’t be part of the club’s management. The season wasn’t particularly good, but football changes quickly. If Juventus had beaten Fiorentina, people would probably be talking about a positive campaign.”
Platini did reveal that he intends to remain involved in football, albeit in a very different capacity.
“I still have projects related to football,” he concluded. “But only as an advisor. I don’t want to join a club or an organization anymore. I did that in the past and that’s enough. I’m not fifty years old anymore.”
At 71, Platini remains one of football’s most influential voices, and his message to Italy was unmistakable: rebuilding is possible, but only if the country is willing to start over completely.
