The Figo Affair bares the ugly side of the beautiful game

The Figo Affair: The Transfer That Changed Football provides behind-the-scenes access surrounding the transfer of Luis Figo from Barcelona to Real Madrid. The documentary indulges fans with 1 hour and 44 minutes of unadulterated truth, full of deception, egos, and footballing politics right from the lips of those who had seen it all.

The struggles between star footballers, money-grabbing agents and opportunistic footballing politicians are major themes in the documentary. Many claims made within the documentary by the agents were dismissed by Figo and vice versa. In terms of the transfer, the documentary tells a tale of dishonesty, where loyalty ultimately took a backseat as money talked.

Figo's career has been marred by the lies of his agent, Jose Veiga. In fact, Figo was banned from playing in Italy for two years in 1995 for signing contracts with Parma and Juventus simultaneously, ultimately forcing his move to Barcelona. His transfer to Real Madrid in the summer of 2000 was built on deceptions, too.

Former Portuguese footballer Paulo Futre acted as an intermediary for the then Real Madrid Presidential candidate Florentino Perez. Futre lied to Perez, telling him that Veiga, who rejected the first approach, would facilitate a move to Madrid for a 6-million-euro commission. Futre got lucky, convincing Veiga on the second try. Perez also bound Veiga to a loyalty agreement signed without Figo's knowledge. This agreement was a major subplot in the entire saga.

The Figo Affair also dives into the intricacies of Spanish footballing politics giving viewers an idea of the political struggles in Spanish football. From Figo's discontentment at Barca, where he claimed that the board didn't make him feel wanted, to the cunning politics under which Perez sealed the deal, it all paints the story of only a small portion of the never-ending struggle for supremacy in Spanish footballing politics.

Despite the raging storm, Perez was calm throughout. Written off during the electoral run, he showed his smartness to usurp popular incumbent Lorenzo Sanz. Much of it was done by enticing fans with the promise of signing Figo. Perez's cool composure outshined the fiery Figo, convincing him to put loyalties aside and join Madrid.

The aftershocks of the transfer were felt far and wide. In Barcelona, Figo was adjudged to have committed blasphemy. He wasn't blameless either. Weeks before his move, Figo openly claimed he was staying at Barca and even kissed the club's badge in public.

Back in Madrid, the transfer kickstarted the first Galactico era. Under Perez, an era of star signings and unprecedented success followed. The Figo Affair reinforces how Perez learned from his mistakes, scaling even bigger heights and terrifyingly enough, spearheading the European Super League later in 2021.

As for Figo, he always maintained his fondness for Barcelona and the love shown by the fans. His transfer was a trailblazer that led to big money deals between arch-rivals, taking the footballing passion away from players.

Paulo Futre sums it up, poetically enough, "At the end of the day, what counts isn't the medals, the Ballon d'Or (which Figo won in 2000), the Bola de Prata or even the Champions League, but money."