Michel Platini, a former European soccer player of the year and the current UEFA president, collapsed at a restaurant in Johannesburg, South Africa, Friday, just two days before the World Cup final.

Platini was initially thought to have suffered a heart attack but a UEFA spokesman later indicated the 55-year-old Frenchman had simply fainted. He was taken to hospital for precautionary tests but his condition was not considered serious.

"I talked to his assistant who was with him a few minutes ago and it seems (he was) just fainting because he has a cold and a fever," UEFA spokesman William Gaillard told Sky Sports News.

"All the preliminary exams are negative. He's conscious, he's fine. They may carry out more tests because when a well-known person faints they normally do that but I've been told not to worry. It's nothing serious."

Gaillard also addressed reports that the legendary former player had a heart attack.

"When people faint, people imagine the worst. That's a normal human reaction. I talked to someone who told me not to worry. Nothing serious. These things happen.

"It's cold there. A lot of people have a cold, the flu, they have a fever. That could explain it."

Platini played for France in three World Cup tournaments and was part of the French team that won the European championship in 1984. He holds the career scoring record (nine goals) for the European championship despite playing in just one such tournament.

He also coached the French team for four years.

Platini became president of UEFA, the governing body of soccer in Europe, in 2007. He is also a member of the FIFA executive committee.