'This is just the beginning'

New UEFA President Michel Platini pledged that his election at the 31st UEFA Annual Congress in Dusseldorf was the beginning of an adventure for European football.

Platini moved
The former French international, elected by a 27 to 23 vote to serve as UEFA President for the next four years, received the acclaim of a packed Congress Centre in the German city and moved to embrace the outgoing President Lennart Johansson as soon as the vote was announced. Mr Platini said: "I am moved, deeply moved, but I am happy.

Great victory
"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." Mr Platini added: "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."

Johansson honour
Mr Platini also paid tribute to Lennart Johansson and his proposal that the long-time UEFA President become a UEFA Honorary President was accepted by the overwhelming applause of the Congress delegates. Mr Platini, 51, said: "Lennart, this is also the beginning of an adventure for you and we will work closely together."

Georges tribute
Mr Platini thanked the late former UEFA President Jacques Georges, "who always wanted me to become UEFA President", and called for the Congress to pause for a moment to reflect on his memory. He also took the opportunity to thank his parents, his wife and all those who had supported him.

To view Michel Platini's interview and other reaction from the UEFA Congress, please click here.