Michel Platini has been elected as Uefa’s new president, ahead of rival Lennart Johansson after a vote in Dusseldorf.
The 51-year-old former French international has pledged to limit the number of Champions League places for a country to three.
The voting was 27-23 in favour of the French legend.
“I am moved, deeply moved, but I am happy,” he said.
“When I was a player and when we enjoyed a great victory, we were given a trophy and we celebrated together and ran around the pitch on a lap of honour. This is a great victory but today I am not running. This is just the beginning, the beginning of an adventure.
“I am happy to be able to represent European football and even if the vote was 27-23, we have 52, perhaps 53, member associations that have won.”
Platini immediately invited Johansson to become an honorary president of Uefa.
“This is a great victory but I have huge admiration for Lennart and I would ask for Lennart Johansson to become an honorary president of Uefa.”
Johansson, 77, who has held the post for the last 16 years, was given a standing ovation by the delegates when the result of the vote were announced.
Michel Platini enjoyed a wonderful career as a player, winning three successive European Footballer of the Year awards in 1983, 1984 and 1985.
After beginning his career with Nancy, Platini moved to to Saint-Etienne in 1979, but his major success at club level came with Juventus, where he played from 1982 to 1987. His career in Italy saw him win the European Cup in 1985, the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1984 and the UEFA Super Cup the same year, as well as a host of domestic honours. He was leading scorer in Italy’s Serie A in 1983, 1984 and 1985.
Platini also led France to the European Championship title on home soil in 1984, fiinishing the competition as top goalscorer. He took part in three FIFA World Cups, and made a total of 72 appearances for France from 1976 to 1987 scoring a record 41 times.
Following his retirement as a player, Platini coached the France national team from 1988 to 1992, before setting out on his career as a football administrator and politician.
