Michel Platini admits 1998 World Cup draw was designed to make France vs Brazil final possible

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

Former UEFA president and French legend Michel Platini says that the 1998 World Cup draw was designed so that the host nation didn't meet Brazil until the final.

France beat Brazil 3-0 in Paris 20 years ago, thanks to a brace from Zinedine Zidane and an Emmanuel Petit strike to lift the trophy for the very first time in front of an adoring home crowd.

An according to Platini - who was on the organising committee of the tournament - it had been "the dream of everyone" to see the hosts beat the now five-time world champions in the final.

"When we organised the calendar, we did a little maneuvering," he told France Bleu Sport.

"If we finished first in the group and Brazil finished first, we could not meet before the final."

Brazil were No. 1 in the world rankings heading into the tournament, with France at No. 2.

The Brazilians were drawn into Group A, where they beat Scotland and Morocco before surprisingly losing to Norway, while France won all three of their matches in Group C against South Africa, Saudi Arabia and Denmark.

Both countries finished on top of their groups, and so were put into opposite sides of the bracket for the knockout stages.

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

"We did not get bored for six years to organise the World Cup to not do some little shenanigans," continued Platini.

"You think that the others did not do it for their World Cup? France-Brazil in the final, it was the dream of everyone."

Platini was banned for financial wrongdoing by the FIFA ethics committee in 2015.

The ban was originally for eight years, but has been cut to four.