French football great Michel Platini has dropped a bombshell by admitting that the 1998 World Cup draw was fixed.
The UEFA chief was kicked out by FIFA after revelations that he had received a payment of £1.35million from the former world football governing body boss Sepp Blatter.
Platini revealed he was involved in a plan to ensure the 1998 hosts could not meet favourites Brazil till the final.
FIFA regulations state that the seeds should be randomly assigned at the Finals draw.
But Platini, who was the co-president of the World Cup Organising Committee in 1992, called for a change that would allow France and Brazil to be kept away till the final.
“When we organised the calendar, we did a little trickery,” Platini told French radio.
Platini added: “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.”
France beat Brazil 3-0 in the final.
