Luis Figo

Friend or foe? You decide.

          Luis Figo was born in Lisbon, Portugal in 1972 and came to be one of the best football players this world has ever seen. At age 11, Figo played for U.F.C. Os Pastilhas and overtime became recognized by several bigger Portuguese teams. After attending the youth academy of Sporting Lisbon, the midfielder made is debut in the Portuguese league. By age 20, Figo was playing for Portugal’s senior team at the hands of Carlos Queiroz. When Lisbon played Real Madrid in the UEFE Cup in 1994, his impressive footwork and aggressive style caught the attention of the top two Spanish teams, their opponents Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.

          In 1995, Figo moved to Barcelona where he would play for the next five years. The midfielder became the heart and soul of el Barca. He was a cornerstone for their victories, including the Copa del Rey and La Liga in 1998, and was the most adored footballer throughout Catalunya.

Copa del Rey 1998

La Liga 1998

 After 172 La Liga games for Barcelona, 30 goals, two league titles, two Copa del Reys and a Cup Winners' Cup triumph, Figo might have easily committed the largest crime in the eyes of his beloved fans by signing a six-year contract with el Barca’s largest rival, Real Madrid, in which the club agreed to pay him $4 million a year. Madrid bought out his contract by paying el Barca $56 million. The world record transfer left the fans of el Barca enraged and furious that their star player had betrayed not only their team, but also their nation. When Figo returned to Camp Nou for the first time since his transfer to play in El Clasíco for Real Madrid in 2000, he was less than welcomed by his old fans. The stands were filled with signs calling Figo a traitor with an array of choice words, while some fans went as far as burning posters of the once loved player. One stated, “Los que antes te quisimos, siempre te odiaremos,” translating to, “although we loved you before, we will always hate you.” The video below shows some of the signs made by el Barca fans.

However, the fans did not stop at insulting signs and flaming posters. They were ruthless in showing their disgust. When Figo went to take corner kicks, fans threw food, beer bottles, lighters and garbage at him, delaying the game. They constantly booed and scream at him; the photo to the right shows Figo covering his ears, trying to block out the incredible noise of disapproval from el Barca’s fans.

Upon Figo’s second return to Camp Nou in 2002, the Barca fans threw a pig’s head onto the pitch. Their hatred was undeniable.

          When I asked a worker at the restaurant Sandwichez if he considered Figo a traitor to el Barca and ultimately Catalunya, he said that he had not thought about Figo in quite some time, but he did infact consider him a traitor. He said that he was one of the best players on el Barca, and it hurt himself and Barcelona to see him leave for Real Madrid. When I asked him what he thought of the pig’s head being thrown onto the pitch during Figo’s second game back at Camp Nou, he laughed a little and said he thought it made a point. 

Santiago Bernabéu Stadium

          An author from Time Europe, Jennie James, expressed her opinion on Figo's "betrayal" stating, “The battle was as bitter and passionate as any Cup final, but if the accusation of treason and the veiled threats of revenge that followed Figo’s defection seemed excessive, they were trifling compared to the price Real Madrid paid for him.” My host mom, Maite, confidently agreed with this statement. Maite is originally from Galicia, but married a Catalan and has lived in Barcelona for over four decades. Although she became an avid fan of el Barca overtime, she was not upset with Figo when he went to play for Real Madrid. She explained that she was sad to see such a valued player leave her team, but completely understood that it was for financial reasons. She added that Figo made a decision on his career just like everyday businessmen and women do today; it was no different than someone taking a position of higher pay at a different work place.

       

          The majority of the population was not as understanding as Maite. I approached a vendor on Las Ramblas who had an array of Messi, Neymar Jr., Suárez, and Piqué jerseys sprawled out in front of him. I asked if he had a Figo jersey to see his reaction, and he blatantly laughed at me. When I asked why he did not have any Figo jerseys, his answer was simply, "no one would buy them, so I do not sell them.”
          I sat down with my host mom's children, Alex and Marc, who are 36 and 39 respectively. They are both avid Barca fans who were born and raised in Barcelona. When I asked what they thought of of Figo and his transfer, the first word they said was, "traidor." To them, Figo was their hero as Lionel Messi is to many today. They owned Figo jerseys and remember practicing "Figoesque" footwork in the park with their friends. When Figo hung up his blue and red Barca jersey for his white Real Madrid one, they felt more than betrayed. They admitted that the anger they once had towards him has diminished, but Luis Figo will always be a "triador" in their eyes.

Work Cited

Campaña, Alec. 30 June 2015.

Campaña, Maite Sarroca. 30 June 2015.

Campaña. Marc. 30 June 2015.

Henke, Sebastian. "Luís Figo Short Biography." Luís Figo Short Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 July 2015.

Las Ramblas vendor. 03 July 2015

"Luis Figo - Controversy Over Transfer Fees." - Madrid, Real, Million, and Barcelona. Net Industries, n.d. Web. 06 July 2015.

"Luis Figo." La Enciclopedia Biográfica En Línea. Biografias Y Vidas, n.d. Web. 06 July 2015.

Personal photos

Reporter, Sportsmail. "THE MONEY MEN: Ronaldo Deal Will See Winger Leapfrog Kaka, Zidane and Figo to Become Most Expensive Player in History." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 11 June 2009. Web. 06 July 2015.

Sandwichez worker. 06 July 2015.

Wright, Chris. "El Clasico Special: 18 Brilliant Archive Photos From Real Madrid vs Barcelona And Vice-Versa." Who Ate All the Pies RSS. N.p., 9 Dec. 2011. Web. 06 July 2015.