Albacete’s roving striker Jefte Betancor, who scored two impressive goals on Wednesday to help his second division side eliminate Real Madrid from the Copa del Rey, has even considered swapping football for a career as an electrician.
The 32-year-old striker came on in the second half at the Carlos Belmonte Stadium and scored in the 81st minute,
His goals ensured a bitter debut for the club, and shocked Spanish football.
For Jefte, it was a fairytale moment in a career full of ups and downs across Europe.
Born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in 1993, he began his career at Hércules before playing for several Spanish clubs, mostly in lower divisions, including Tenerife B, Eldense and UD San Fernando.
Unable to establish himself in Spain, Jefte ventured abroad, playing in Austria’s third division for Stadl-Paura, a step that began a nomadic career with spells in Austria, Romania and Greece.
Currently on loan at Albacete from Olympiacos, Jefte has finally found his moment in the spotlight, but the road to Wednesday’s heroic performance may never have existed if he had abandoned football almost a decade ago.
Disillusioned and mentally exhausted, he left the sport for six months and started working as an electrician.
“My head wasn’t in the right place,” Jefte said after the match. “I stopped playing football and started working and training in my neighborhood. I wanted to clear my mind. With the help of my family and my psychologist, I came back, and today it’s so rewarding. Nine years ago, I couldn’t have imagined this moment.”
Jefte’s two goals capped off an emotional night for him and the Albacete fans, who were thrilled with the victory in their modest stadium. Regarding his contribution, the striker described the night as “magical”.
“The team fought for 95 minutes to experience something like this. It brought me back all the years of fighting,” said Jefte. “The call with my wife and son after the game was the most precious moment. I couldn’t stop crying.”
Despite the celebration, Jefte admitted that he never felt completely at ease, even after 3-2. “Against, time seems to stop. They are a club that never gives up until the final whistle,” he said.
To complete the drama of the night, Jefte revealed that he needed medical attention during the celebrations. “The doctor accidentally hit me in the nose and I started bleeding non-stop. He owes me that one!”
Albacete’s triumph was one of the biggest upsets in the history of the Copa del Rey, immortalizing Jefte’s name in the history of the competition and leaving Real Madrid shaken by their early elimination.
