‘The Figo Affair: The Transfer that Changed Football” Review

In order to appreciate how powerful this documentary is, first, you have to learn about Luís Figo. In the world of football, there are copious superstars and legends that shaped and molded the sport into what it is today. Luís Figo, or simply “Figo”, wasn’t just a footballer, he was an icon.

In 1998, the Portuguese star was playing for FC Barcelona, arguably one of the biggest clubs in the world. The power that football has over other major sports like basketball and American football is that it’s truly a global sport. Not just a sport that’s played all over the world, but streamed as well. So let’s say your favorite NBA star has a game in the middle of the week. Depending on who he’s facing, you may or may not watch that game. For football fans, every match matters and you’d be hard-pressed to find a cache of fans purposely skipping a match. Also, one or two channels might cover your favorite NBA star’s game on a random Thursday. But if you’re watching, say, an Arsenal match, you’ll find 60+ channels around the world with coverage rights to the league. It’s just… different.

In his prime, Luíz Figo was the LeBron James of world football, and like James, when he made a move to another team, it rocked the sport to its core. In the craziest turn of events in modern football, the rising star at FC Barcelona would soon be labeled a Judas (the act of moving from one team to its arch-rival) after his shock transfer to Real Madrid.

The documentary completely encapsulates the intricacies of a blockbuster transfer and pulls back the curtain on how the entire saga took place. With commentary from friends, colleagues, former presidents, and managers, The Figo Affair makes for a dramatic story with an incredible ending.

The Netflix documentary The Figo Affair gets a 9 out of 10. At the time, Figo’s move to Real Madrid was the biggest transfer in football and made him the highest-paid player in the world. It also gave birth to a dynasty, enriched the lives of those involved, and soured those few who opposed it.

-Jon Jones

Stream The Figo Affair today on Netflix.