Before the defeats in the Nations League in 2021, in the World Cup in 2018 and 1986, there was that of the second group match of Euro 84 which launched this French invincibility in major tournaments against the Devils. If Michel Platini had scored a hat-trick on June 16, 1984, Alain Giresse, also a scorer and a double passer, had also played a decisive role. Consultant for Europe 1, the former midfielder takes a ““real pleasure” when he sees De Bruyne play”because his simplicity as a man does not prevent him from being a very great player who delivers wonderful balls” and expects the eighth of this Monday “another approach: France will have to raise its level and Belgium will no longer be able to manage.” In the meantime, the Bordeaux player has happily immersed himself in this Belgium – France match.
Pre-match: “Belgium had the upper hand”
“Our start was not easy, firstly because Denmark was a solid team, with great players. Michel (Platinum) had received preferential treatment from Berggreen and had complained that we were playing between Bordelais. But an hour later, everything was cleared. I told him ‘listen, Michel, there are 4 of us from Bordeaux, it’s mathematical, you’re the only one from Juventus (laughs)‘. Belgium was a more than formidable opponent. At the time, there was this tradition of playing in November, around the 11th, one year in France, one year in Belgium. And Belgium largely took the upper hand. That was history. But we were in the moment facing an opponent Euro 80 finalist, author of a great World Cup 82 but who had absentees. We were on a mission. Far from speculation: we set out with the idea of winning everything, of being ambitious. That’s how we started this match. Everything went as we wanted, rather than as we hoped. A clear match where everything went well for us, where we immediately made our mark on the game.”
The match: “I’m waiting for Pfaff to draw”
“Everything came together well. We had to be able to raise our level of play to find the solutions as we were able to do. There was serenity, ease, confidence, ‘desire to undertake with every action When you look at the first goal, we clearly showed the referee that we were stopping at the goal line ‘look, we’re not leaving the field today’, because we had been sanctioned for going out against Denmark (smiles). On my goal, 2-0, I decide to steal the ball because I see that Jean-Marie (Pfaff) starts to go to bed. Otherwise, I don’t do it. With Tigana, we played together, I knew how I was going to receive the ball. My ball grip is good, I move forward, I wait. And the choice is made at the last moment. I’m waiting for him to draw. He makes the decision, it’s a game of cat and mouse. I use what he’s going to do to go against the tide (smile). Then there are the two assists. The one to Luis, I like it. I liked scoring, but also the passes. The ball comes back to me, I wait for Luis to position himself. He is an opportunist who senses situations well and I made him another pass in 1986 that I like against the Soviets. I put it on his head. I send him 90% and he has 10% to put in. The one to Michel (Platinum), it’s more complicated because he has to get up and strike. Luis just had to ask. Michel is there, I had to put him in the area where he could intervene. Once the ball is in the zone, it’s up to him to do what he did. Even if this hat-trick allowed him to become the only top scorer in the history of the French team at the time, it didn’t cross our minds because we weren’t in the world of stats at all costs. . This match launches him into an exceptional Euro.“
Post-match: “I still have the jersey at home”
“In the locker room, it wasn’t euphoria, it was just a stage. We just feel good (laughs). We savor, everything is clear, pleasant, everything tastes good. We are in the clouds, we are not touching the ground. Pure pleasure, sorry for the Belgians. We had France – Brazil in 1986 in the same vein. But here, it’s above all the game. The match is not violent, choppy or rotten. If I had to choose one match, it would be this one. It was the perfect match, there’s nothing to complain about. I still have the jersey from that match at home. But I admit, I never experienced that again.”
 in 1984: “Sorry for the Belgians, but it was the perfect match”){kind=link}