Nothing is new in the life of Jefté Betancor, but What happened last Monday was something surreal, more than scoring two goals against Madrid. The Pichichi in Leagues such as the Greek, Romanian and Austrian He was Madrid’s executioner in the Cup for not raising the Monday to a plane bound for Thai football. A few days later he is sure that his decision was the best.
Three days before the cup match Three clubs and three countries were connected against Madrid: Albacete (Spain), Olympiakos (Greece) and Buriram (Thailand). Everyone agrees to Jephthah’s departure to Thai footballalthough Alba is the one that looked the least, since the forward is on loan from the Greeks and one of the clauses is that the Castilla-La Mancha club could let him leave.
He Buriram put an exorbitant offer on the table, one of those that you can’t say “No” to because It solves the lives of five generations. When all the general directors agreed and the player already had the ticket (I had to travel to Thailand last Monday, January 12, to sign the contract) uone conversation changed everything. From getting on the plane he went on to say ““I’m staying, I’m playing against Madrid and I’m still at Alba.” A little more than a thousand minutes have been played in Alba and in them He scored eight goals and gave one assist.
If he Toché project was what he fell in love with to give those from Belmonte the “yes, I want” last summer, A conversation with Alba’s sports director last Monday was, once again, enough to think about it and stay. One more time, Jephthah showed that people are worth more than money.
And a decision that earned him scoring two goals, eliminating Madrid, celebrate it in style with his son Teo and receive hundreds of congratulatory messages from all corners of the world. And the canary is a world globetrotter and has acquaintances in many stages.
He crushed a lot of stones in the Third and Second B fields
Spanish football was not the Canarian’s best ally and, therefore, he sought a life outside his country. It started in the Neighborhood to take his first kicks from there Hércules, Ontiyent, Tenerife B, Eldense, Viera, Badajoz, Las Palmas B (the club of his life), Arandina, San Fernando… until he said if doors are closed to me here “and I can’t do more, I’m going outside to see what happens“. No sooner said than done.
Austria was his first destination when signing for Second Division Stadl-Paura. Mattersburg, Vorwärts Steyr and Sportvereinigung Ried (with which he was proclaimed Pichichi of the Austrian league) were the next to arrive.
After four seasons in AustriaRomanian football opened its doors to him. Voluntari (10 goals), Farul Constanța (le Hagi, former Madrid player, signedand scores 16 goals) and CFR Cluj were his teams.
The Paphos of Cyprus It was his next destination, although his signing on the last day to do so means he will not be able to play for a few months as the documents do not arrive in a timely manner.
A brief period in Cypriot football, to try out the Greek League with the help of Panserraikos, a team that was his springboard to be signed by Mendilibar for his Olympiacos, after finishing Pichichi in the Greek First Division with 25 goals.
He returned to Panserraikos given by him Olympiakos and again it became his springboard. This time to return to Spanish football eight years later.
