It was 16 years ago today that Luis Figo became Judas
Luis Figo has gone into FC Barcelona history as the biggest traitor that has ever worn the club's shirt.
This Sunday, it is 16 years to the day since a betrayal that the Barça fans will never forgive.
It was on July 24, 2000, that the Portuguese player was presented as a new Real Madrid player, flanked by the late Alfredo di Stefano and Florentino Perez, who had just been elected as president of 'Los Blancos'.
The rumours surrounding an agreement between the player's agent, Jose Veiga, and the Real Madrid presidential candidate Florentino Perez, started on July 5, 2000.
However in Barcelona, the news was not believed, especially when ten days before, Figo posed with the Barça jersey and stated in an interview with SPORT:
"This is and will be my shirt. Whether Florentino wins or loses the elections, I will not be a Real Madrid player.
"I will only play at Barça."
This declaration of love for the club is what most hurt Barça's fans.
Just hours after Joan Gaspart won the elections for the FC Barcelona presidency, Figo paid his release clause, equivalent to 61.7 million euros, and was presented with the white shirt at the Santiago Bernabeu, becoming the most expensive player in football history at the time.
Figo became the electoral trump card of Florentino Perez in his battle with then-president Lorenzo Sanz.
The Portuguese forward and his agent never thought that Florentino would win those elections, and considered his offer as a tool to apply pressure to the Barça board to gain an improved contract at the Camp Nou.
The problem came when the Real Madrid members chose Florentino.
The signed document would punish Figo and his agent with having to pay a large amount of compensation, should they renounce on the deal.
The face of Figo during his presentation spoke volumes.
Gaspart called the agreement between Florentino and Figo "immoral" and threatened both parties:
"He who does the deed will pay for it. Real Madrid have been left with a player that does not care for the club."
The reaction of the Barça fans is well known, and has also become part of football history.
On October 21, of that year 2000, Figo visted the Camp Nou for the first time as a Real Madrid player, and felt the full force of the crowd's resentment towards him.
