FC Barcelona rejects Revolut's plan to make Luis Figo its face

FC Barcelona has rejected the offer from the digital bank Revolut because Luis Figo is the face of the campaign. The Catalan club has been looking for a new financial partner for some time, after the four‑decade‑long partnership with CaixaBank ended and the annual fee of six million euros was considered too low.

Emotional reason for rejection

Revolut, a British fintech, saw Luis Figo as the face of its newest advertising campaign, in which the former Portuguese international refers to his controversial transfer from the year 2000. According to Catalunya Ràdio, Barcelona rejected the proposal for emotional reasons, because Figo is still regarded as persona non grata by the club and its supporters. The campaign contains slogans such as “Choose your money”, a direct wink at the criticism Figo received after his departure.

In 2000 Figo left Barcelona for rival Real Madrid, with Los Blancos paying €62 million, at the time the highest amount for a footballer. He had played 249 matches for Barcelona, scored 45 goals and provided 91 assists, and won two La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey cups and one European Cup Winners’ Cup. That same year he was named Ballon d’Or winner, but the transfer sparked furious reactions, including the throwing of a pig’s head during an El Clásico.

End of the CaixaBank relationship

The partnership with CaixaBank, which lasted more than forty years, ended in 2025 after a dispute over the annual fee of six million euros. Following the merger of CaixaBank with Bankia, sponsor spending was scrutinized more critically, and several Barcelona board members invested, via the director of CaixaBank, in an external project at Camp Nou that failed. The club demanded financial compensation, which strained the relationship and led to the contract being allowed to expire last year.

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Since the departure of CaixaBank, Barcelona has been in talks with various external parties, including Revolut, but a definitive agreement has never been reached. The club emphasizes that the rejection of Revolut is not based on financial grounds, but on the emotional sensitivity surrounding Figo’s involvement.

Revolut recently launched an advertising campaign in Spain with large billboards in Madrid, featuring the slogan “Do it for your money – Switch to Revolut”, and in which Figo himself presents the campaign. The campaign makes explicit references to his “very sensitive” transfer, making the link with Barcelona even more charged.

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The contrast between Barcelona’s search for a new financial partner and the emotional blockage against Revolut shows how historic resentment can dictate the club’s commercial choices. As long as the club does not find a sponsor that respects its past, the search will continue.