Michel Platini is not any old sports bureaucrat. The president of Uefa is used to being recognised by football fans all over the world. In the 1980s, Platini was one of the greatest players in the world. He led the French national team to victory in the European Championship in 1984 and to two World Cup semi-finals, and won Italian and European club championships with Juventus of Turin.

But these days not all the important figures in European football know Platini. When he met the new American owners of Liverpool football club at this year’s Uefa Champions League final, Platini was startled that they did not recognise him.