An Appreciation of FIGO, a TRUE Dribbler

Dribbling. For me, this IS the very essence of what football is about. Without it, don't even bother calling me. That is what I try and do all the time that I get the ball and it is the ONE skill that draws me into football. When a man can somehow bamboozle a player, sometimes without even touching the ball, it's an incredible thing to see. One of THE greatest dribblers the world has ever seen, who may not get talked about in such a light is Luis Figo.

 When Figo was back in Barcelona, it was him and Rivaldo who RIPPED stuff up for that team. This was back when Barcelona were actually exciting to watch.
 It was the first time I saw Figo, and I just was amazed at his incredible control and command of the football with both feet. He could play on either side of the wing, cross the ball, cut inside, or take men on. But it was his BALANCE that was just off the chain.
 As good as he was at Barcelona...we never truly saw him at his peak. That peak was only attained when he made one of THE most controversial moves in all of football history. And it perhaps gives you an insight into the kind of guy Figo was. Some may say a mercenary, and others like me would say he was an individual who thought outside and existed beyond the petty politics of football.

Figo really played his best football at Madrid. With all that talk and craziness of moving to  Barcelona's rivals...Figo blocked it all out.
 He had perfected his art of dribbling. Playing and toying with the mind of the defender, and always having absolute control of the ball at a graceful pace.
  Just watch a video of Figo dribbling and it's watching pure art. THAT is the very definition of what is the hardest skill in football, and one of THE toughest skill in sport to perfect and execute on the highest level.
  He may not have won as many accolades as his other compatriot, but as far as being a FOOTBALLER, I view Figo as the best player for pure TALENT that the land of Portugal has produced. His mastery of the ball was just too great and far exceeds anything that any other Portuguese has been capable of doing.

So why don't people talk of him more? Why will when all the dust settles, Cristiano be held as the greatest Portuguese player? Are we really going to allow stats to rule how we view players? What the HELL happened to having an appreciation of the art of football and knowing when you see a truly gifted player?

View it like this. If I am playing on a football field, I don't care for the player who happens to score loads of goals, most of which result on him being in the right place at the right time. But my eyes will be glued to that player who dribbles and leaves players on the floor ALL DAY LONG. That is the player that will stick in my mind far longer than anyone else.


HH

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