Juventus great Michele Platini on Friday gave Francesco Totti the highest praise, saying the Roma star was like himself in the glory days of France's 'champagne soccer'.
The UEFA chief's glowing tribute to the man leading Roma's Serie A charge squashed lingering suspicions that Platini really didn't rate the man he reportedly dismissed as a 'one-flick player' during last year's World Cup.
"If I was playing today I'd be like Totti, who's become an out-and-out striker. There aren't any No.10s in the old playmaker role anyway".
Totti mentioned Totti in the same breath as all-time greats Johan Cruyff and Roberto Baggio, saying "they both came from deep and attacked the heart of the defence, like Kaka does now.
Pundits said Platini's ringing endorsement raised Totti's chances of making a late bid for the European Footballer of the Year award that had been seen as a dead cert for Kaka after his heroics in AC Milan's Champions League win.
