Luis Figo - The First "galáctico" Abandons Real

Ozren Podnar reports...

"In Real Madrid, there will always be the time 'before' and 'after' Luis Figo, said former teammate Ivan Helguera on the occasion of Figo's departure to Inter Milan.

No wonder, since his arrival signalled a change in power and started a trend of superstar signings at Real Madrid.

After lengthy negotiations Figo signed a two year contract with the perennial Italian underachievers. "I know that I can play two years more at the highest level and I wish to try it in Inter. I don't wish to speak about Real Madrid and their coach. Only, I could not be happy as a reserve."

It is estimated that Figo has agreed to pocket 3.5 million euros for the first year of his contract and 3.6 million for the second.

Real released Figo to Milan on a free transfer, due to his merits at the Bernabeu, but had he chosen Valencia, another candidate for his signature, Real would have asked for compensation to the amount of 3.5 to 6 million euros for reinforcing a direct rival.

Figo's life at Real became impossible in early 2005 when the strict and hotheaded Vanderlei Luxemburgo took over as coach from the unsuccessful García Remón.

Until then a first team regular, Figo sensed that the Brazilian did not respect him as much as Real's previous coaches, and starting seven consecutive games on the bench was material proof of this sentiment.

When an offended Figo asked club president Florentino Perez what Real planned to do with him in the remaining 15 months of the contract, he was told "the coach would decide on his fate." For the brave winger, it was a sign that Perez was washing his hands of him.

"When the president and I met, he said that my staying on depended on Luxemburgo. I don't know who takes the decisions in this club. I think it should be the president," said a disappointed Figo.

Early into the summer break, Luxemburgo gave a press conference, not mentioning Figo as one of the important names for next season's team. Since the Portuguese is a very egoistical player - as all great footballers have to be - there was no doubt his departure was a matter of days.

Realizing that Figo was adamant that he should either get a free transfer immediately or stay on at the club on a 5.5 million euros annual salary, Real opted for the former. It would have been crazy to spend so much money on a very rebellious and charismatic reserve player.

And that is how the first of Real's "galácticos" abandoned Santiago Bernabeu, five years after bringing Florentino Perez to power.

Hotter than two Champions' Leagues!

The event took place on July 24th, 2000. On that date 200 journalists saw Luis Figo spread a Real Madrid's shirt with his name and the number 10, accompanied by president Perez and the honorary president Alfredo Di Stéfano. The announced and disputed transfer had been consummated.

Figo was tycoon Perez's electoral promise to the "socios", club members with the right to vote. "If you elect me president, I promise Luis Figo will be Real's," said Perez to many people's bewilderment.

Who in their right mind would vote for what's-his-name and overthrow Lorenzo Sanz, who had brought Real to the top of Europe after 32 years? Besides, Real had won a second Champions' League under Sanz's mandate only eight weeks before the elections, so Sanz looked a safe bet.

But, the fans, "socios" included, had already celebrated the trophies and had turned their eyes to the future. And the brightest version of the future was offered by Florentino Perez. Because, Luis Figo was not only a gigantic star, but the most distinguished Barcelona's player. Snatching Barça's precious gem was in the voters' view a dream worth risking for.

It turned out that Perez indeed had in his safe a pre contract with Figo due to become valid should he win the elections. Some argued Figo had agreed to Perez's proposal because he did not believe the far-fetched plan would ever come to fruition, but when it did, he could not withdraw his signature.

Perez happily paid Barcelona the record US$56 million obligatory compensation, an enormous sum to be almost completely misspent by Barça's management led by the hapless Joan Gaspart.

Antifigo days in Catalonia

Figo's transfer reinforced the already huge animosity between Real and Barcelona and their respective regions. Offensive graffiti at Figo's expense flooded Catalonia, as if the Portuguese were a notorious criminal.

Fans at Nou Camp carried banners calling their former hero traitor and Judas, and a now closed website www.antifigo.com appeared on the Internet.

The player himself skipped his first return to Barcelona due to an alleged injury, and in November 2002 the fans welcomed him with a shower of missiles, including the now legendary pig's head.

At the 2004 European Championship finals between Portugal and Greece, Barcelona fan and publicity-seeker Jimmy Jump stormed the pitch and threw a Barça flag in Figo's face.

In the meantime, Perez closed phenomenal sponsorship deals thanks to his new signing and introduced the practice of bringing one superstar per summer.

There followed Zidane, Ronaldo, Beckham, Owen and most recently Robinho.

He did not want Ronaldinho because his colleagues from the marketing department deemed him "too ugly"! Figo was handsome enough, but perhaps he has grown too old. Inter's leaders, Moratti, Facchetti and Mancini believe he is young enough to bring "nerazzurri" the Italian title after a wait now of 16 long years.

Fact file

Figo made his name as a right midfielder or an out-and-out right winger, but can also function on the left.

His main virtues are the dribble, one of the purest in soccer, balanced crosses and good shooting with both feet. The acceleration was also there, until a year or two ago. Perhaps his strongest points are his battling spirit and an overwhelming desire to win, which have singled him out as a leader in almost any team in which he has performed. Although not a great scorer, he still picked up 93 goals in league games and 31 for the national team, to which he returned last May after a one-year self imposed exile.

Birth date: November 4th, 1972
Birthplace: Lisbon
Height and weight: 180 cm, 75 kg
Position: right winger, right midfielder
Foot: right
Club: Internazionale
Squad number: 7
Marital status: married to Helen, daughters Daniella, Martina and Stella

Career breakdown (appearances - goals)
1989/90 Sporting Lisbon 3 - 0
1990/91 Sporting Lisbon 0 - 0
1991/92 Sporting Lisbon 34 - 1
1992/93 Sporting Lisbon 32 - 0
1993/94 Sporting Lisbon 31 - 8
1994/95 Sporting Lisbon 29 - 7
1995/96 Barcelona 35 - 5
1996/97 Barcelona 36 - 4
1997/98 Barcelona 35 - 5
1998/99 Barcelona 34 - 7
1999/00 Barcelona 32 - 9
2000/01 Real Madrid 33 - 9
2001/02 Real Madrid 27 - 7
2002/03 Real Madrid 32 - 10
2003/04 Real Madrid 34 - 9
2004/05 Real Madrid 33 - 3
2005/06 Inter

National team
1991-05 Portugal 112 – 31

Honours
1 Portuguese Cup (1995)
4 Spanish Championships (1998, 1999, 2001 and 2003)
2 Spanish Cups (1997 and 1998)
3 Spanish Supercups (1996, 2001 and 2003)
1 Champions' League (2002)
1 Cup Winners' Cup (1997)
2 European Supercups (1998 and 2002)
1 Junior World Cup (1991)
1 European Championship finals (2004)
1 Golden Ball (2000)
1 FIFA's Player of the Year award (2001)
1 runner-up to FIFA's Player of the Year award (2000)

Ozren Podnar

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