Luis Figo

About Luis Figo

Luis Figo is the most famous Portuguese soccer player around the world. His capacity as a player was prove when he played for the two most important teams of Spain (FC Barcelona and Real Madrid). Unfortunately, this pass in both teams convert him into a villain. This was because the fans of FC Barcelona use to like him, however; going to the rival team was something that the fans of Barcelona could not forgive and the anger and hates started against him. No mater all this hates and dislikes against him, in Real Madrid he obtain many championships and by this he show up again all his talent and capacity that he has as a soccer player and why he is considerate one of the best soccer players in the world.

Figo's Background

Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo was born the 4 of November of 1972 in a suburb of Lisboa called Almada. He is the only son of the marriage composted of Antonio and Maria Joana the one were the main motivation of his success in soccer. His family soon moved to Cova de Piadades, a humble neighborhood. He uses to live in a small house located in an undeveloped land and in an environment of lower class. Is in that place where Figo started to develop his passion for soccer and started to play the sport with older kids.

Figo began his sports career in the B Barrocas, a modest club of workers class in the neighborhood where he was born. At the age of nine he joined the children's Pastilhas Os, a team that has that name thanks to its sponsor (a brand of digestive tablets).

Club Football

Sporting CP

In 1985 Figo sign his first professional contract with Sporting Lisbon, where he begins to highlight. This is a club that many others famous Portugal players come from and started their carer as soccer players. He won his first senior international cap in 1991, before that he won the Under-20 World championship of the world and the Under-16 championships of Europe junior, along with his famous compatriot Rui Costa the one integrate the well know period called” Generation of gold”

FC Barcelona
In 1995, Figo was going to join one of the biggest clubs of Europe, however; a dispute between the Italian clubs Juventus FC and The Parma, result with a prohibition of his transference for two years for singed with both clubs. On the other hand, this problem was resolved for Figo with a move to the Spanish club FC Barcelona, thanks to the coach Johan Cruijff. He arrived at FC Barcelona with only 22 years after 10 seasons at Sporting Lisbon. With a period of four years Figo became the fan-favourite, becoming captain of the team in his later years there and a symbol of the Spanish club. It was in the FC Barcelona in 1995 that the career of the “lion King” really took off. Figo won one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1996/97, successive Primera División titles and went on to appear 172 times for the Blaugrana, scoring 30 goals.

Real Madrid
On July 24, 2000, Florentino Perez and Alfredo Di Stéfano escorted a shy Portuguese who became the first signing star of the new Real Madrid. 57 goals and an endless of assistances have reaffirmed Luis Figo to the club. In a Monday evening of July 24, Luis Figo posed with the shirt of the Real Madrid, a new period begins for the Portuguese and a new era for the club started. At that time becomes the most expensive transfer in history (60 million € plus VAT. That is why; he was one of the large transfers of Florentino Perez, the new President of the Club. Five seasons and a lot of goals, controls and assistances give the prestige to Figo to still be considered one of the best right wingers of the world. Rated by many as' the king of passes and runs, Luis Figo has shine in Real Madrid especially for the excellent technical and accuracy of their passes, the ingenuity with which he destroy defenses and the ability for dribbling deployed in the field. Some of the football qualities which he has augmented are strength and determination on the field.

With the white T-shirt has won, among other titles, an Intercontinental Cup, a European Cup and two leagues, a football career with more than 15 years follow of full success. In addition, individually, their enormous quality has also won the recognition of world football. In 2000 he received the Golden Ball, who accredited as the best European footballer of the year. A year later he was named FIFA World Player.

Figo has been a strong statistics with the Madrid shirt. In five seasons, the Portuguese has scored 57 goals, of which 38 have been in League,3 in Copa del Rey and 16 at Champions. Leader of the "golden generation" of Portugal he started on the national side in 1991, and despite his announcement of his retirement after the Eurocopa of 2004, Figo has once again worn his national strip.

Internazionale (Inter Milan)
In his first season in the Inter, Figo notched up 34 appearances with the third place of the club in the Liga. However, later on the club was awarded with the league title (scudetto) in the controversial match-fixing scandal (popularly known as 'Calciopoli). Figo appear 32 times and scored two goals as Inter won the Serie A title by a huge margin, achieving a European record of 17 consecutive match wins in a row. Figo travel to Saudi Arabia to sing a contract, but after conversations with the Inter of Milan owner and President Massimo Moratti, Figo decided to remain in the Inter by renewing his contract until the end of the 2007-08 seasons. On 10 June 2007the player renewed his contract with the Inter until 30 June 2008. It has been informed that Figo could migrate to United States and lay there for the MLS next year, when his contract with Inter expired, but the strongest rumor is that he is about to join the English Premiership club Fullham. This rumor circulates after Figo purchased a house in West London.

International Football

He has been playing for the national team of Portugal since 1991 and without doubt he is one of the best and most notable players that have pass through the national team of Portugal. He participated in the Korea-Japan World Cup 2002 (eliminated in first round), and in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where he was one of the pieces in classification for the semi-finals of the World Cup and, in turn, being fourth in the tournament. Also participated in the European Championship in Portugal in 2004, leading his team captain and leading to the final, where the selection of Portugal lost against Greece. After the World Cup of Germany, Figo left the colors of the selection, playing 127 parties and internationally, and scoring 32 goals in the national team.

International Goals

Awards and Honours

Personal Awards

Career Statistics

M = Matches, G = Goals, A = Assists

Personal Info

Figo is married since 2001 with the Swedish model Helen Svedin, which met in Barcelona and with whom has three daughters. - Daniela (born in March 1999), Martina (born in April 2002), and Stella (born 9 December 2004). Figo apart of using his recognition to play soccer , he also used his fame to help other children to obtain an opportunity like the one he had, what he decided to create a foundation that bear his name. The goal is to help children without resources to be successful in life through basically the sport, but not without neglecting education and culture. With this step Figo wants actively involved in this project with the intention of helping children fill their leisure hours and do not fall into drugs or marginalization through sport.

Wife / Girlfriend

Helen Svedin

Sponsors

Important Links

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOPzG4EMDOs
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfyDi1EQjhk&feature=related
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99huXAqiUoY&feature=related

References

• http://www.realmadridfans.org/luisfigo.htm
• http://www.realmadrid.es/articulo/rma41275.htm
• http://www.elmundo.es/2002/11/25/deportes/1277779.html
• http://www.fanaticland.com/deporte/luis_figo/biografia.html