Gifty Bettencourt is a former electrician who shocked Real Madrid

About a decade ago, the current Albacete player, Gifty Bettencourt, stayed away from football for six months, during which he worked as an electrician. But he stole the spotlight when he scored two amazing goals to lead the competing team in the second division to oust Real Madrid from the King’s Cup yesterday. Bettencourt (32 years old) came on as a substitute in the second half and scored a goal in the 81st minute to make the score 2-1, before clinching a surprise 3-2 victory with another goal in stoppage time.
At the hands of the humble team, Real Madrid lost the first match it played under its new coach, Albaro Arbeloa, in a resounding surprise in Spanish football.
For Bettencourt, it was a surreal moment in a journey full of twists and turns across Europe.
Born in Las Palmas in 1993, he began his journey at Hercules Club before playing for a group of Spanish teams that mostly belong to the lower divisions.
After failing to prove his abilities in Spain, Bettencourt traveled to the Austrian club Stadel-Bora, competing in the third division, the first stop of a tour that also led him to Romania and Greece.
Betancur is currently playing in Albacete on loan from Olympiacos, and has finally caught the spotlight after nearly a decade away from the sport for months.
After feeling disappointed and mentally exhausted, he left sports for six months and worked as an electrician. He said after yesterday’s match, “I was not in a good mental state. I left football and started working and training in the neighborhood where I live. I wanted to clear my mind. With the help of my family and my psychiatrist, I came back, and today I feel very happy. Nine years ago, I would not have imagined this moment.”
He added, “The team fought for 95 minutes to achieve such an achievement. It took me back to the years of struggle. The call with my wife and son after the match was the most precious moment. I could not hold back my tears.”
Despite the scenes of overwhelming joy, Betancourt admitted that he never felt comfortable, even after scoring his team’s third goal. He said, “Against Real Madrid, time seems to stop. It is a club that never gives up until the final whistle.”
Albacete’s victory became one of the biggest surprises in the history of the King’s Cup, as Betancur’s name was etched in the history of the tournament while leaving Real Madrid to suffer an uncharacteristic early exit.