There’s hardly a feeling that ignites a football supporter’s anger quite like witnessing their star player defect to their arch-rivals.
The annals of football are replete with such instances. Consider Sol Campbell’s switch from Tottenham to Arsenal, Eric Cantona’s move across the Pennines from Leeds United to Manchester United, or Andy Cole’s transfer from Newcastle United to Old Trafford.
While these moves provoked strong reactions from the scorned fans, who greeted their former heroes with chants of ‘Judas’ (and much worse), none were as intensely controversial as Luis Figo’s departure from Barcelona to join Real Madrid.
Jari Litmanen on Figo’s Barca-Real move
FourFourTwo designated the 2000 transfer as the prime example in a compilation of the most startling transfers of all time, suggesting the deal contained more story arcs than an entire series of The Wire.
To begin, the intense rivalry between the two teams is saturated with historical and political significance, as much as it is shaped by events on the field, implying that any movement between the clubs faces acute examination.
By the summer of 2000, Figo had cemented his status as one of the world’s premier players. He had secured two La Liga titles with Barca, and on the strength of a stellar performance at Euro 2000, he was poised to capture the Ballon d’Or later that year.
When Real Madrid activated the buyout clause in Figo’s contract, sealing a £37 million world-record transfer, it heralded the dawn of Florentino Perez’s Galactico era, with the Portuguese icon becoming the symbol of the intensified rivalry between the two clubs.
It wasn’t only the supporters who felt aggrieved. Finnish luminary Jari Litmanen, who had signed with the Catalan squad in 1999, acknowledges the move sent shockwaves through the Barca team.
“It didn’t present a favorable image when I initially saw him in a Real Madrid jersey,” Litmanen relayed to FourFourTwo. “Figo had represented Barcelona for five seasons, served as vice-captain, and was revered as an icon deeply connected to the club, the fanbase, and the city.
“Within the locker room, he was a commanding presence, esteemed and relied upon as both a player and an individual. He was a constant presence on the field, rarely missing a match and always delivering consistently – he never put in a lackluster performance. Consequently, it was disheartening to witness his departure, particularly to Real Madrid.
“We were all let down, although the fundamental question revolves around the motivations behind his choice to leave. I am of the belief that had he been genuinely content, he would have extended his stay. It deviates from the norm for a Barcelona player to transition to Real Madrid.”
The homecoming of Figo to Camp Nou, marked by his first appearance in October 2001, sparked a more virulent uproar than he had envisioned, evidenced by the barrage of objects hurled onto the field with each touch of the ball, coupled with banners brandishing ‘Judas’ and ‘Scum’ scattered around the stadium.
The animosity escalated during his subsequent return, highlighted by the infamous incident involving a pig’s head thrown in his direction from the stands, thus immortalizing one of the era’s most enduring images.
