Luis Figo has admitted that he “talked a lot” to Liverpool and was keen to join the club in 2005, only for the club to miss out to Inter Milan.
Figo carved out a storied career for Sporting Lisbon and Barcelona before becoming Real Madrid ’s first Galactico signing in 2000. After getting over the controversy of his €60million move from Barca, Figo established himself as one of Europe’s star players with the Spanish giants.
But by the time he was 32 years old he had slipped down the pecking order with Los Blancos and was ready to leave. Speaking in an interview to promote a new Netflix documentary entitled ‘The Figo Affair: The Transfer that Changed Football’, Figo has revealed how close he came to joining Liverpool.
“I would have liked to go,” he told the Guardian. “We talked a lot. One week they say, ‘No, wait, we can’t do it just now’ and then they sign a player. Then, ‘Wait a few more days, we need to sort this first’ and they sign another. I think: ‘Bloody hell, are you messing with me, or what?’
"Inter appear, I go to Milan, meet [the club president Massimo] Moratti and take the decision. I loved Inter, it was exactly what I needed.”
It is unclear which players Figo is referring to when accusing Liverpool of delaying his signing and concentrating on other deals. Rafa Benitez’s side signed Boudewijn Zenden from Middlesbrough in the summer of 2005 and later secured Mark Gonzalez from Albacete in 2006.
Figo spent four years with Inter Milan, winning four Serie A titles and the Coppa Italia during his time in Italy. He retired in May 2009 having played in over 900 games, earned 127 caps for Portugal, won eight league titles, a European Cup and the Ballon d’Or.
Upon retiring Figo decided not to go into coaching, like many players. Asked if he didn’t go down that route because of the egos of players, he replied: “Yes, because I know players too well! I would like to try it, you know.
"I don’t know if I would have the ability. My challenge would be putting my footballing ideas into practice, communicating, reaching people. I don’t have the badge. The course is like studying medicine: six years. Come on, madness.
“And I’ve always been drawn more to the executive side, fascinated by producing, being an entrepreneur. I don’t sit still. I like people with playing experience being in the game – but only if they have the ability. I’m totally against ‘names’.”
Figo ran against Sepp Blatter for the Fifa presidency in 2015, promising to expand the World Cup to 48 teams and greater investment in grassroots football. He withdrew later that year. “Uefa proposed becoming a candidate,” he explained. “I could see [Fifa] was full of corruption, a mafia. In the European confederation, we felt we needed to move, even if there wasn’t really a chance – to at least make a stand, take a position.”
