Figo spent five years with Barca before leaving in 2000 for Real Madrid.
Rivaldo said on Fala Rivaldo: "He's always been a great person. He still is today. Like a brother. It was a shame when he left Barcelona for Real Madrid, because he and I were in attack, we shared the responsibility. He was a great player, who gave us a lot of confidence and peace of mind when the ball came to his feet. He was a strong guy, who would launch himself into the attack.
"When we played against Real Madrid, he gave Roberto Carlos a hard time. And in other games too. He always made himself noticed. He rarely played badly. And then he became a player used to scoring, he scored a lot with Barcelona. Then he went to Real Madrid and scored there too. He won the Ballon d'Or and was the best in the world. I love him... because Figo hasn't changed. He's the same person he's always been since I played with him."
As for Figo's move to the Santiago Bernabéu, Rivaldo also stated: "It was a difficult moment for me and for all the players, because we were counting on him and suddenly his transfer to Real Madrid arrived. Life goes on, and he managed to become the best in the world and win the Ballon d'Or. I encouraged him because he is a great person, who helped me a lot when I arrived from Deportivo La Coruña."