Michel Platini, a former UEFA president, has revealed that the 1998 World Cup final between Brazil and France was fixed. The latter won the tournament that year.
Platini, who was co-president of the organising committee, said he was involved in the arrangement, which ensured the hosts would not meet Brazil until in the final.
FIFA have long agreed that World Cup host nations should be given a pre-draw seeding spot. The other seven seeds for the first 32-team tournament would be allocated on a calculation, which involves their world rankings and performances at the three previous World Cups.
FIFA regulations for the competition stipulate that the seeds should be randomly assigned at the finals draw, which took place inside the Stade Velodrome in Marseille.
But Platini moved for a change that would allow France and Brazil be kept apart until the final.
“When we organized the calendar, we did a little trickery,” Platini confessed in an interview with a French radio station.
“If we finished first in the group and Brazil finished first, we could not meet before the final.
“We did not work until we were bored for six years to organise the World Cup not to do some little shenanigans.
“When you are at home, you want to be able to enjoy things.
“You think the others do not do it for their World Cups? France against Brazil in the final, that was the dream of everyone.”
Both countries won their group and met in the final at the Stade de France, France. France won by 3-0, with two goals from Zinedine Zidane, and a third by Emmanuel Petit.
Ashaolu Oluwafemi
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