Last update September 5, 2024 by Alberto Llopis
The transfer market in the years 90 It was a completely different scenario than the one we know today.. Social networks, media agents and coverage 24/7 They were non-existent.
At that time, transfers were managed in a much more private environment, in which negotiations were closed behind closed doors and information was limited. Fans depended on the written press and local rumors, that took days or weeks to confirm, generating an atmosphere of mystery that can hardly be replicated today.
In this article, we will explore How the transfer market worked in the years 90, a time when soccer stars changed teams in operations that, although discreet, shook the global football scene.
Transfers over the years 90, the Pre-Internet era: Limited information
In the years 90, The signings were not announced with the immediacy to which we are accustomed today. Before the era of social media, fans depended on newspapers, radios and sports programs on television to be aware of possible movements. The covers of newspapers like Brand O La Gazzetta dello Sport They were the main means of spreading rumors and confirmations.
The journalism of that time used to draw on sources close to the clubs or the players themselves., but there was little transparency in operations. Transfer figures and salaries were rarely made public, and most of the negotiations were carried out in total secrecy until the clubs decided to make an official announcement.
Rumors were the main source of speculation. No immediate access to player statements or constant updates, uncertainty generated enormous interest. When a signing was confirmed, could take everyone by surprise, since the negotiations were not openly discussed or made viral as they are today. And so cases like that of Ali Day.
La influencia de los agentes y la “Ley Bosman”
One of the key aspects that changed the transfer market in the 90 was the growing importance of players' agents. Although the agents already existed before, It was in this decade when they began to play a crucial role in the negotiations. Representatives like Mino Raiola and Jorge Mendes began to gain notoriety, securing million-dollar contracts for their players and negotiating with multiple teams at the same time.
Otro cambio que marcó esta década fue la famosa “Ley Bosman” de 1995. Before this ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union, Players who ended their contracts with their clubs were still tied to them. That is to say, a club could demand compensation even when the player's contract had ended. La “Ley Bosman” eliminó esa restricción, allowing footballers to move freely between European clubs once their contract ended.
This revolutionized the market, increasing the mobility of high-quality players at no cost to new clubs. and for many, It was the end of old football and the beginning of modern football.
Big signings like Edgar Davids, who moved from Ajax to Milan without restrictions, or the departure of Jean-Marc Bosman himself from RFC Liège, What originated this rule?, they changed the landscape of European football.
Negotiations and closing of transfers: A slower process
Unlike today, where transfers are closed in a matter of hours thanks to technology and instant communications, in the years 90 Negotiations could last for weeks.. Without emails or digital platforms to manage operations, contracts were discussed in person, which meant that agents and managers were constantly traveling to close deals.
Telephone calls were the most used tool to maintain contact between the parties, and official documents used to be sent by fax, a method that today seems anachronistic but that at the time was crucial.
Cases of failed transfers were common due to the complexity of the negotiations. Without the current speed, many operations fell apart at the last minute due to discrepancies in the terms of the contract, hidden clauses or simply because the player changed his mind. A famous example was Rivaldo's failed signing for Parma in 1996.
The Brazilian was practically ready to join the Italian club when, at the last moment, Barcelona intervened and signed him, a move that marked the beginning of a golden era for the Catalan club.
Astronomical figures for the time
Although the signings of 90 They did not reach the multimillion-dollar figures that we see today, many of them broke records at the time. One of the most notable was that of Ronaldo Nazário, who in 1997 He went from Barcelona to Inter Milan 27 millions of dollars, a sum that at the time was considered astronomical. This transfer put the growing economic capacity of Italian clubs on the map, who dominated the transfer market for much of the decade.
Another notable signing was that of Zinedine Zidane, who went from Girondins de Bordeaux to Juventus in 1996 by 3,2 millions of euros. Although that figure seems modest today, It represented a huge bet on a player who would later become one of the best of all time..
The Galactic Age: The prelude to a new market
Towards the end of the decade, Real Madrid began a new era with the galactic transfer policy, a concept that would take full shape in the 2000, but that was already beginning to take shape at the end of the 90.
With the arrival of Luis Figo led by Florentino Pérez for 10.000 million pesetas in the 2000, The Madrid club set a trend of signing superstars that would change the world football market forever.. This movement was a sign of what was to come in the following decades, with the biggest clubs competing to sign the most recognized players worldwide.
