Luis Figo

Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, born November 4, 1972 in Lisbon, Portugal, is a Portuguese international footballer, who plays as a midfielder and winger, currently for Inter Milan. Figo, a devout Catholic, was the 2000 European Footballer of the Year and 2001 FIFA World Player of the Year, known for his exceptional trickery and dribbling skills at either wing (though he predominantly plays on the right). He was one of the very few footballers to have played for the Spanish rival clubs FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Background

He won his first senior international cap in 1991; prior to that, he won the Under-20 World Championships and Under-16 European Championships with Portugal junior sides, a significant part of the nation's so called 'Golden Generation' in football, alongside compatriot, Rui Costa. Figo moved to Barcelona from Sporting Lisbon (a club which developed many other great Portuguese players) in 1995, but not before a dispute with Juventus and Parma, having signed contracts with both clubs. For this action he came under risk of a lengthy ban. The situation was eventually resolved, and within four years he became a fan-favourite, captain and symbol of the Catalan side.

Related Topics:
Cap - Rui Costa - Barcelona - Sporting Lisbon - 1995 - Juventus - Parma - Catalan

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Already a great winger at the beginning of his career, Figo eventually became one of the best players in the world and in the eyes of many, the best winger of his generation. His dazzling dribbling and the amazing amount of assists (Figo states that he enjoys assisting as much as scoring) assured him success and fame all over the world. Figo is recognized for his versatility throughout the pitch.

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In 2000 his transfer to Barcelona's arch-rival, Real Madrid, for a record-breaking 56 million dollars only intensified the great animosity between the two clubs. There was a short-lived website (antifigo.com http://web.archive.org/web/20001217065100/http://www.antifigo.com/) devoted to insult "judas Figo"; he missed his highly anticipated first return to the Nou Camp due to injury; in 2002, Barcelona's ground was banned after objects were thrown at Figo, while massive chants calling him Pesetero (which can be roughly translated to mercenary) echoed in the stadium; and finally, during the final match of {{Ec2|2004}} between Greece and Portugal, a Barça fan known as Jimmy Jump ran across the field and threw a FC Barcelona flag at Figo in an apparent act of defiance.

Related Topics:
2000 - Real Madrid - Judas - Nou Camp - Greece - Portugal - Jimmy Jump

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Despite the niggling detractors and all the critics' cries that he was a vastly 'overrated' player, Figo played out some of the best attacking football ever seen in both an individual and even in his Real Madrid team. It was not hard to see why though, given that Figo was one of the linchpins at the heart of an ever increasing star studded squad that included Zinedine Zidane, Roberto Carlos, Ronaldo, Steve McManaman, Raul Gonzalez, and dubbed the 'Greatest Club in the World' first, and then, officially crowned as the 'Club of the Century' by FIFA in the year he joined. Alongside his equally illustrious team mates, Real Madrid with Figo at the core swept the titles for the next three years under coach Vicente Del Bosque.

Related Topics:
Real Madrid - Zinedine Zidane - Roberto Carlos - Ronaldo - Steve McManaman - Raul Gonzalez - FIFA - Vicente Del Bosque

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On August 18, 2004, Figo announced that he would "take a break" from international football. In April 2005 he announced to be ready to return, as he was sidelined in Real Madrid, and the next month Luiz Felipe Scolari announced he would talk to him about his return. He agreed to return on 13 May and resumed his international career in the match between Portugal and Slovakia on June 4. This received mixed feelings from Portuguese fans: some see his return as fixing something that should not have happened, others are fearful of the "concessions" Scolari made to bring him back.

Related Topics:
August 18 - 2004 - April - 2005 - Luiz Felipe Scolari - 13 May - Slovakia - June 4

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Real Madrid coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo had a falling-out with Figo after he relegated the Portugal international to the bench for the second half of the 2004-2005 Primera Liga season. It was widely believed that Figo would leave Los Merengues for first-team football elsewhere. During the off-season, he was linked with a move to the English Premiership with Liverpool or to Serie A's Inter Milan. On August 5, 2005, Figo moved to Inter on a free transfer and a two-year deal worth ?7 million.

Related Topics:
Vanderlei Luxemburgo - English Premiership - Liverpool - Serie A - Inter Milan - August 5 - 2005

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Luís Figo is nowadays one of the main Portuguese symbols and ambassadors. Many Portuguese travelling outside southern Europe get "Oh! Figo! Figo!" as a reply, when saying they are Portuguese.

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He is married to Swedish model Helen Svedin. They have three daughters named Daniela, Martina and Stella.

Related Topics:
Swedish - Helen Svedin

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