Luis Figo

Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiroa.k.a Luis Figowas born on November 4th, 1972 in Almada, Portugal. Born in a poor family, Luis started playing football at a very young age with a local club. His talent didn’t go unnoticed and by the age of 12 he was playing in the junior team of one of the top Portuguese clubs, Sporting Lisbon, the club that has produced many top Portuguese players. Figo was the part of the “Golden Generation”of Portuguese football. He won the Under 20 World Cup and the Under 16 European Championship. At the age of 19, Luis Figo got his first International cap.

The Story :

----------------------

After playing for nearly 6 years for his hometown club, Sporting, it was time for Figo to excell in Europe. The Spanish and Italian leagues were where the money is and that was the place he was destined to be. He was all set to go to Italy when a transfer ban of 2 years was imposed. The story was that Figo had signed with Parma as well as Juventus and there was a dispute between these two over the transfer fee. This meant that Figo could not play for any Italian club for two years. Serie A’s loss was Barcelona’s gain. Barca wasted no time and signed him. Dutch legend, Johan Cryuff was the Barca manager at that time. You can put a ban on transfer, but you cannot put a ban on talent. Figo had a very successful time at Barca, scoring many goals. With Barcelona, he won the Spanish League twice (1998 and 1999) and the Cup Winners cup (the earlier version of UEFA Champions League) in 1997. He was the captain of Barcelona and a crowd favourite too. He was the lucky star for Barcelona and the crowds just adored him.

The love that the Barca supporters had for Figo disappeared in an instant when he signed with arch rivals Real Madridin 2000, for a then record fee of 56 million dollars. The move from Barca to Real broke the hearts of the Barca supporters, who declared him a traitor and compared him with Judas. Due to this transfer, Figo went from being the most adored and loved to the most hated at Nou Camp. Barcelona supporters had their revenge when Real played Barcelona at Nou Camp in 2002. The atmosphere was volatile and anti Figo. The unforgiving Barca supporters booed Figo’s every move and pelted stones, bottle caps, coins, fruit and even a pig’s head at him. That was not all. In 2004, after the final of the Euro match against Greece, a Barca supporter ran on the ground and threw a FC Barcelona flag at his face. But all these distractions did not affect Figo, who kept doing what he knew best. Playing the beautiful game and entertaining the people. With Real, he won the Spanish League in 2001 and 2003 and the UEFA champions league in 2002.

The troubled atmosphere at Real, with coaches being changed very often meant less time for Figo on the field and more time on the bench. The appointment of Luxemburgo as the coach of Real spelt trouble and it was time for Figo to move on and sign with some other club. In August 2005, he signed with the Serie A club, Inter Milan on a free transfer and a two year contract. At present, he is shining for his new club along with Adriano.

With over 100 caps for Portugal, he is considered as the best football player after the great Euseibo. In 2004, Figo took a “break” from international football. That didn’t mean he retired from international football. He returned in 2005, in the match against Slovakia.

The Skill :

--------------

Brilliant. The word to describe Luis Figo’s football skills. And the words are not enough. One has to watch him play to appreciate his talent. A skillful winger, Figo is deadly from both the flanks. He has got amazing speed and can score from the most difficult of angles with precision. He is one of the most skillful dribblers in the game, and to get the ball away from him, the rival players have to bring him down. He is a great team man, who enjoys creating openings and passes as much as he enjoys scoring by himself. Plus he also sends the curling free kicks screaming past the goalie very often. Figo is a very versatile player in World Football.

Other things :

------------

Football is his bread and butter. But off the pitch, Figo is a very different man. A devoted family man, he loves to spend time with his family and close friends. He is the co- owner of the Portuguese A1 team, along with Carlos Queiroz (Man U assistant coach).

Silverware :

-----------

Figo is considered as one of the talented players who have never won a World Cup. He did win the Under 20 World Cup, but the REAL THING is not on his trophy shelf.

Apart from winning the League championship with Sporting,Barca, Real and Inter and the Cup Winners Cup and UEFA Champions League with Barca and Real respectively, Figo has a long list of awards to his credit. He was the European Footballer of the Yearin 2000 and the FIFA World Player of the Yearin 2001.

Stats :

-------

Name : Luis Filipe Madeira Caeiro

Nickname : Figo

Birth Date : November 4th 1972 (….. and that makes him a SCORPIO)

Nationality : Portugal

Jersey Number : 7 (for Portugal)

Position : Winger / Midfielder.

Clubs : Inter (2005 - )

Real Madrid (2000 – 2005)

FC Barcelona (1995 – 2000)

Sporting Lisbon (1989 – 1995)

-- Thank You for your patience --

• 
  • Flag This Review
  • Irrelevant
  • Fake
  • Junk
• Thank You! We appreciate your effort.

I was never too interested in watching football. And I cant claim to be too good at it either. But one day, sometime during during the UEFA champions league final 2002 I think, a friend of mine insisted that I watch some football clippings that he had.

Thats the first glimpse I got of Figo. And since then I've become an avid soccer fan.

Zidane might be the greatest there is. But if there is one player who can make you sit and watch a match just to watch him play, its Figo.

He brings with him a certain style and majesty thats so rare to find. Easily the best dribbler of the ball in the world, can play of both feet, terrific pace (when at his best), breathtaking free-kicks & shooting (on his better days) and inch-perfect passes and crosses ( nowadays just the passes not crosses)- thats probably a gist of Figo. And oh yes, the best Right winger in business.

At his best, when with brilliant ball control, when he bursts into the D and rushes at defenders - its one of the sights in football. And his runs down either flank, when it looks as though the ball is glued to his feet with no apparent effort - watching it can make your day!

Yes he's inconsistent these days, losing some of the pace and stamina he used to have. He doesnt cross that well either, these days. And yet he's the best mid-fielder in business after Zidane.

And more importantly a joy to watch - on any day!

• 
  • Flag This Review
  • Irrelevant
  • Fake
  • Junk
• Thank You! We appreciate your effort.

Figo, the portugal's mainstay, is definitely qualified to be among the best in the world.His crosses match that of Beckham's and at times even better.His dribbling skills,if not the best , is pretty good and he has an eye for the slightest of chances.Sure there are lots of players who are good footballers but what makes me love Figo is his comittment to the game and his cool attitude.I mean , the way he took the corner kick against Barcelona admist very bad crowd trouble and bottle throwing aimed at him,surely has won him a place in millions of hearts.Also Figo like Roberto Carlos does fall back to aid the ailing defence of Real Madrid.I feel the very presence of Figo is tantalizing for the opposition.

Not many drawbacks with him, but he has a far greater potential than what he actually delivers and at times leaves the finishing to the centerforwards.This has cost him quite a few goals

• 
  • Flag This Review
  • Irrelevant
  • Fake
  • Junk
• Thank You! We appreciate your effort.

Move over France and Zidane, if someone is going to make people take notice of him at this year’s FIFA World Cup, it’s going to be Figo. As every young striker does, Figo too dreams of lifting the World Cup wearing his country’s national colors. Transferred from the Spanish club, Barcelona to their eternal rivals Real Madrid, for a record-breaking transfer fee of $ 56 million, Figo is making waves playing for his new club.

Figo's sporty appearance, his never-say-die attitude and his no-pains-no-gains policy have literally positioned him on the favorites list of every football fan. Even if he doesn’t score goals, he makes good play providing beautiful passes and immaculate crosses. And when he does score, it’s bound to be spectacular: breaking away from the midfield, racing down the line with speeds that would put any defense to shame and then sending the ball into the back of the net. Figo is considered as a semi-god in Portugal and wherever he’s shown his talents. Foresight, speed and humility are tops on his priority list. Add to this his intelligence and his efficient right foot and you almost have a one-man team.

Playing alongside Figo for Real Madrid are immensely talented players: Zidane, Raul and Roberto Carlos. Put together, they’d make you think twice before kickoff. We will definitely be seeing a lot of Figo’s talents explode during the FIFA World Cup this year. Until then, here’s wishing him all the best.

• 
  • Flag This Review
  • Irrelevant
  • Fake
  • Junk
• Thank You! We appreciate your effort.