The summer of 2001 was destined to be forever etched in the memories of all football fans.
That summer, a staggering deal was completed, officially announcing the shift of the football world's center from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic.
Serie A was still the world's top league, but it was no longer the only place top players aspired to be.
From that year on, all of the top players who made their names in Serie A, without exception, moved on to La Liga and the Premier League, and Serie A eventually became a brief stepping stone and star-making factory under the feet of these superstar players.
On July 9, 2001, Real Madrid announced the world-record transfer fee of €77.5 million to welcome the signing of Zidane.
In this period, Europe's top two midfielders, Figo and Zidane, were united at Real Madrid.
The superstar policy of Real Madrid was confirmed, and the embryo of the Galacticos was taking shape.
This transfer news instantly exploded across the entire football world.
