Portugal great Luis Figo won the Ballon d’Or and lifted titles at Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan, but how many World Cups did the forward win and how many did he play in?
Figo was one of the best footballers around in the game at the turn of the millennium with his close ball control and sensational vision. Glory all around Europe would follow for the 5 ft 11 dynamo regarded as an all-time icon and one of the best Portugal has ever produced.
Records would tumble as the Almada native waltzed past defenders with his silky and agile footwork. At his peak, Figo was a quick and potent threat on the wings, physically imposing and able to cut inside or push up the flanks to carve out umpteen chances with either foot.
Luis Figo enjoyed trophy-laden, and sometimes controversial, domestic career
His career began in the youth ranks of Sporting Lisbon, before breaking through as a senior player in 1990. A Taca de Portugal title would follow in 1994/95 for Figo, before he agreed to join Barcelona and would lift two La Ligas, two Copa del Reys and the Cup Winners’ Cup.
But come 2000, Figo shocked the footballing world when he left the Camp Nou to join the Catalan giants’ fierce rivals, Real Madrid. Reports at the time, as cited BBC Sport, noted he wished to quit Barcelona as he was among the lowest earners at the club on £25k-a-week.
Figo had lit up Europe in an attack featuring Ronaldo Nazario, and won the Ballon d’Or in 2000. But he wanted out – even if Barcelona’s valuation priced Manchester United out of a move – and Real Madrid would swoop to sign Figo for a then-world record €60m (£37m).
Barcelona supporters saw Figo as a traitor, and the move would see him help Real Madrid win La Liga in 2000/01 and ‘02/03. He also won ‘01/02 Champions League at the Santiago Bernabeu, before moving to Inter Milan in ‘05 and winning four consecutive Serie A titles.
Figo’s success on the pitch saw him named Portuguese Footballer of the Year six times. He was also in the Champions League Team of the Tournament twice, Fifa’s World Player of the Year once and was named in the 2006 Fifa World Cup Team of the Tournament in Germany.
His 127 caps for Portugal – which included featuring at two World Cups – also set a record total in 2006. Cristiano Ronaldo (187) and Joao Moutinho (145) have since eclipsed Figo’s tally, while Pepe (125) is now approaching third-spot in the Selecao’s all-time rankings list.
The 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar can also see Ronaldo, Moutinho and Pepe do what Figo could not and win the tournament with Portugal. Figo captained the Selecao into the semi-finals in Germany, but could not break into the final and lost in the third-place play-off tie.
Luis Figo played at first World Cup in 2002 tournament won by Brazil
Figo only played at his first World Cup in 2002, despite making his Portugal debut way back in October 1991. The Selecao had failed to qualify for Italy 1990, and again could not make the cut for USA 1994 or France 1998 – despite now having one of the world’s best players.
A place for Japan and South Korea was Portugal’s, though, with Figo providing six goals in the qualifying stage for the 17th Fifa World Cup. But their campaign only went as far as the group stage, exiting the competition in third-place in Group D to South Korea and the USA.
Portugal lost their opening game 3-2 to the United States, before Figo helped inspire a 4-0 win over Poland with an assist. Yet the forward could not pull the strings to avoid a 1-0 loss to Group D winners South Korea, and went home after playing in all 270 minutes on offer.
Luis Figo bowed out of Portugal squad after 2006 World Cup in Germany
Figo took over the Portugal captaincy full-time during Euro 2004, and later led his nation to another World Cup with Germany 2006. The winger laid on seven assists over six qualifying appearances, having only featured in half of the Selecao’s total games for the tournament.
The World Cup started much better in 2006 for Portugal than it did in 2002 as Figo assisted Pauleta for the only goal to beat Angola 1-0. Figo then laid on assists for Deco and Ronaldo to score to beat Iran 2-0, and completed a perfect group stage with a 2-1 win over Mexico.
The Netherlands would push the Selecao to the wire in the Round of 16, as Portugal took a 1-0 win through Maniche. Boss Luiz Felipe Scolari then needed penalties to see his Selecao squad beat England in the quarter-finals, having drawn 0-0 through regular and extra-time.
Figo did not feature in the shoot-out, having been replaced by Helder Postiga in the 86th-minute. Nor could he help Portugal avoid defeat at the hands of France in the semi-finals, as Zinedine Zidane scored the only goal to set up a final against eventual champions Italy.
Portugal met host nation Germany in the third-place play-off for the 2006 World Cup and while Figo laid on another assist, Die Mannschaft took a 3-1 win. Figo also only played the final 13 minutes as a late substitute, in what would be his final international appearance.