Thievy Bifouma, a former Premier League star, recently faced an embarrassing but amusing twist in his quest to play against Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 32-year-old striker, who began his career at Espanyol in 2010, has played for clubs across Spain, Turkey, France, Greece, and China. He even had a short-lived loan stint with West Bromwich Albion in 2014 under manager Pepe Mel.
As his career neared its twilight years, Bifouma held onto one big dream: to play against the legendary Portuguese icon Ronaldo.
So when Iranian side Esteghlal presented him with an offer, he eagerly signed, believing it would lead to a clash with Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr in the AFC Champions League.
“I had a chance to return to Turkey, but my wife wasn’t keen on moving there,” Bifouma told Tasnim News Agency. “When Esteghlal contacted me, I checked their fixtures and saw they were scheduled to play Al-Nassr. That sealed my decision.”
However, after signing and arriving in Tehran, Bifouma was hit with an unexpected reality—he had joined the wrong Esteghlal team. Instead of signing with Esteghlal FC, a top-tier club set to face Al-Nassr, he had mistakenly joined Esteghlal Khuzestan, a smaller club with the same first name.
“I had no idea there were two teams called Esteghlal in Iran,” Bifouma admitted. His confusion became evident when his countryman Gael Kakuta called him.
“I told him I was undergoing medical tests at the hotel, and he asked which one so he could visit me. Later, he teased me, saying, ‘You signed for the small Esteghlal. We attack, and you defend!’”
Despite this mishap, Bifouma has adjusted well to his new team, scoring three goals in his first ten league appearances. In a poetic twist, he scored the winning goal on his debut in a 1-0 victory against Esteghlal FC—the very club he originally intended to join.
While his dream of playing against Ronaldo might remain unfulfilled, Bifouma has found success in Iran, proving that even career missteps can lead to unexpected victories.