'I won the Ballon d'Or but nearly signed for Liverpool after transfer talks'

Luis Figo was sensationally linked with a move to Liverpool back in 2005, and the Ballon d'Or winner has now opened up on just how close he came to joining the Reds

Luis Figo has revealed he held talks with Liverpool in 2005(Image: Getty Images)

Portuguese legend and Ballon d’Or winner Luis Figo has admitted he held talks with Liverpool over a move to Anfield towards the end of his playing career.

Rumors back in 2005 suggested that Figo was of interest to the Reds as he came to the end of his contract at Real Madrid. What’s more, Rafael Benitez’s side had just completed the miracle of Istanbul to lift the Champions League title, and were looking to strengthen.

Famed for his spells with Barcelona and Real, and the controversy surrounding his switch between the two clubs in 2000 - the same year in which he won the Ballon d’Or - Figo would certainly have been a marquee signing for Liverpool, although nothing ultimately came of the speculation.

The 53-year-old though has confirmed he held talks with Benitez about joining the Reds. In a trailer for the latest episode of The Obi One Podcast, hosted by former Chelsea star John Obi Mikel, Figo is seen discussing his options upon his move away from Madrid.

“At that time I was talking with Benitez, he was in Liverpool. But, well in the end, nothing happened, that’s it,” Figo revealed.

He would instead join Inter Milan, where he spent four years and won the Serie A title in each of his four seasons in Italy before retiring in 2009.

Luis Figo held talks with Rafa Benitez about joining Liverpool in 2005(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

It’s not the first time Figo has addressed his failed move to Liverpool, having gone into more detail about why a transfer didn’t come off during an interview with The Guardian in 2022.

“I would have liked to go [to Liverpool],” Figo admitted. “We talked a lot.

“One week, they say, ‘No, wait, we can’t do it just now’ and then they sign a player. Then, ‘Wait a few more days, we need to sort this first’ and they sign another. I think: ‘Bloody hell, are you messing with me, or what?’

“Inter appear, I go to Milan, meet [the club president Massimo] Moratti and take the decision. I loved Inter, it was exactly what I needed.”

Although not specifically named by Figo, Liverpool did sign two wingers that summer in Bolo Zenden from Middlesbrough and Mark Gonzalez from Albacete.

Neither would make much of an impact on Merseyside, with Zenden making 47 appearances for the Reds, while Gonzalez played 36 times, with both leaving the club in 2007.

Liverpool.com says: What could have been…

Even though he was 32 at the time and coming to the end of his career, Figo would have been an amazing signing for Liverpool, and would have been something of a statement of intent after winning the Champions League. It certainly would have been a bit more impressive than who did end up signing.