Michel Platini: 1998 World Cup Draw Fixed for France to Avoid Brazil Until Final

Former UEFA president Michel Platini said Thursday that "a little trickery" was used to increase the chances of a France vs. Brazil final at the 1998 World Cup.

In an interview with France Bleu Sport (h/t Jaime Wright of the Daily Mail), Platini said the draw was fixed in such a way that France and Brazil could not meet before the final, provided they won their respective groups.

France and Brazil did meet in the final, with the host French prevailing 3-0.

Zinedine Zidane netted two first-half goals before Emmanuel Petit extended the lead late in the second half to push France to victory.

That resulted in France's first and only World Cup win to this point. Brazil went on to win the World Cup four years later in Japan.

Platini was the co-president of the organizing committee for the World Cup, and he claimed that host nations fixing the draw isn't uncommon: "We did not get bored for six years to organize the World Cup to not do some little shenanigans. You think that the other hosts did not do it for their World Cups? France-Brazil in the final, it was the dream of everyone."

In 2015, Platini was banned from soccer for eight years after being found guilty of an ethics violation that saw him accept payment from former FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

The scandal resulted in Platini being forced to vacate his post as UEFA president.