Betrayal: The Day Barcelona Fans Turned on Luis Figo | Most Hostile Return in Football History

The football world was left in shock in the summer of 2000 when Luis Figo, Barcelona's beloved star, made a controversial move to their arch-rivals Real Madrid. This is the story of one of football's most heated transfers and its aftermath, resulting in one of the most hostile receptions in the history of the game when Figo returned to Camp Nou.

The Transfer: Luis Figo joined FC Barcelona in 1995 and quickly became a fan favorite, known for his dazzling dribbling, creativity, and his role in helping Barcelona to several key victories. During his five seasons at Camp Nou, Figo helped Barcelona secure two La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys, a UEFA Super Cup, and a Cup Winners' Cup. He was seen as a symbol of the club.

However, in the summer of 2000, everything changed. Real Madrid’s president, Florentino Pérez, was running for election and needed to make a statement. He promised to bring Figo to Madrid, and many dismissed this as a mere election tactic. Shockingly, Pérez fulfilled his promise by triggering Figo’s release clause, paying a then-world record fee of €62 million.

Barcelona fans felt betrayed by their captain, who they believed had defected to the enemy for money. Overnight, Figo went from hero to villain in Catalonia.

Figo’s First Return to Camp Nou: On October 21, 2000, Luis Figo returned to Camp Nou wearing the white of Real Madrid. The reception was one of the most hostile atmospheres ever witnessed in football. The 98,000 fans at the stadium greeted Figo with an intense cacophony of boos, insults, and jeers. Every time he touched the ball, the crowd erupted in fury.

Objects were hurled onto the pitch, including bottles, lighters, and even a pig’s head – a symbolic gesture of hatred. The game itself was overshadowed by the intense vitriol directed at Figo. Real Madrid lost the match 2-0, but the bigger story was the ferocity of the crowd's reaction to Figo, a man who had once been their hero.

Figo’s Achievements at Real Madrid vs. Barcelona:
During his time at Barcelona (1995-2000):

172 appearances
30 goals
2 La Liga titles
2 Copa del Rey titles
1 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
1 UEFA Super Cup

At Real Madrid (2000-2005), Figo achieved even greater success:

245 appearances
56 goals
2 La Liga titles (2001, 2003)
1 UEFA Champions League title (2002)
2 Spanish Super Cups
1 UEFA Super Cup
1 Intercontinental Cup

Figo made several more appearances at Camp Nou as a Real Madrid player, but none were as intense as his first return. His most infamous return came in November 2002, when the animosity reached a boiling point.

In total, Figo played five matches at Camp Nou as a Real Madrid player. Although tensions softened in later visits, the atmosphere always remained hostile, and he was consistently greeted with hostility from Barcelona fans.

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