In a curious case of mistaken identity, former La Liga striker Thievy Bifouma has revealed that he signed for the wrong club this summer, all in the hopes of facing Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch. Bifouma, who currently plays for Iranian side Esteghlal Khuzestan, had joined the team with the belief that he would get the chance to play against Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr in the AFC Champions League. However, the 32-year-old unknowingly signed for the wrong Esteghlal club, as there are two teams with the same name in the Iranian Persian Gulf Pro League. This mix-up dashed his hopes of facing the Portuguese legend before he retired.
Bifouma’s desire to play against Ronaldo stemmed from a long-standing ambition to compete against one of the greatest footballers in history. With the clock ticking on his career, Bifouma was determined to face Ronaldo, and he initially considered moving to Turkey to make it happen. However, his wife convinced him to stay in Iran, and he signed with Esteghlal, wrongly assuming the club would face Al-Nassr. “I had no idea there were two teams named Esteghlal in Iran,” Bifouma confessed in an interview with Tasnim News Agency. Despite this setback, he remained determined, saying, “I wish to play against Cristiano Ronaldo before I retire.”
The highly anticipated match between Esteghlal and Al-Nassr took place on October 22, but the Saudi club won 1-0. Ronaldo didn’t score, but Bifouma was left reflecting on his blunder, realizing that his dream of facing the footballing icon had slipped away. The mix-up serves as a cautionary tale about ambition and the importance of ensuring all details are in order.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo, now 39, continues to impress in the Saudi Pro League and is expected to feature in Al-Nassr’s upcoming match against Al-Ittihad on December 6. For Bifouma, the dream of facing Ronaldo has become a bittersweet memory.
