1. Luis Figo (Barcelona To Real Madrid)
There aren't many who have dared to cross the great divide between Madrid and Barcelona, but in the summer of 2000, that's exactly what Luis Figo did. The Portuguese winger had become a legend at Barca, winning two La Liga titles and two Copa del Rey trophies in his time at the Camp Nou, but he was after more. He became an integral part of the Barcelona midfield and in his five years at the club had become a man who could do no wrong in the fans' eyes. That was all to change quite dramatically, when it was revealed that he had opted to sign for arch rivals Real Madrid in a deal worth a world record
£37.5million. The political, cultural and social scale of the move does not bear thinking about, let alone the actual footballing side to it. Figo became the man the Catalan nation loved to hate. In the process, the Portuguese also became the first in a long line of galacticos to be ushered in under new Real president Florentino Perez, who made it his mission to buy up the world's best talent. Figo was taken in by the project Perez was plotting, as well as the lucrative contract that followed, and did not hesitate in moving. The fact that he moved for a world record fee is neither here nor there to Blaugrana fans, who bayed for his blood from that moment until he retired. Several incidents followed the move, including the windows on Real Madrid's team bus being smashed by Barca fans on Figo's first return to the Camp Nou. This was followed by the crescendo of boos and whistles that greeted him as he jogged out onto the pitch from the crowd that numbered a staggering 106,000 people. But nothing prepared him for what happened two years later, when what became the symbol of the transfer was hurled onto the pitch in 2002. Amidst the barrage of bottles, coins, lighters, mobile phones and even a bicycle chain that was thrown in Figo's direction when he took a corner, was a pig's head. Somehow smuggled in by the Catalan fans, it was thrown onto the pitch and was caught by the photographers, leading to one of the most infamous incidents in La Liga history. The player dubbed "Judas," was forever more turned into a villain at the Camp Nou, but that didn't stop him winning a further La Liga title with los Blancos, as well as Champions League medal in 2002.