Former Real Madrid Galactico Luis Figo once revealed the one English player he wished had played for Los Blancos. The Portuguese star was one of the most high-profile additions at the Santiago Bernabeu, joining other superstars such as Ronaldo Nazario, Roberto Carlos, and Zinedine Zidane, all of whom made the move to the Spanish capital.
At this time, there was also an influx of English players making the switch, with Figo playing alongside the likes of Steve McManaman, David Beckham, and Michael Owen. However, the Ballon d'Or winner claimed that there was another Three Lions star he wanted to play alongside.
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Speaking after a charity match between Real Madrid Legends and Liverpool Legends in 2017, Figo revealed that he wished to have played alongside Anfield icon Steven Gerrard, describing the fact he didn't as a 'pity.'
"The moment in life when we had the possibility to play together, that wasn't possible. I think it is a pity, because everyone wants to play with the best. I think Gerrard showed in his career he was one of the best footballers in his position. It was a pity [that we couldn't play together], but for Liverpool it was lucky because he could show his quality and talent here, at Anfield."
During Figo's time at Madrid between 2000-2005, a move for Gerrard – widely considered to be one of the greatest midfielders in the Premier League era – was never truly on the cards. The young midfielder was establishing himself as a star on Merseyside and won the Champions League the same year the Portugal star swapped the Bernabeu for the San Siro, joining Inter Milan.
It has been claimed, though, that Gerrard did in fact turn down a move in 2010 when Jose Mourinho took charge of the club. The Special One had been vocal about how much he admired the all-action midfielder, and his attempts to lure him to Chelsea during his first stint were well publicised. However, like with the proposed move to Stamford Bridge, Gerrard turned down the approach to solidify his status as one of the most loyal players in Premier League history.
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All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt - accurate as of 27/03/2025.