From Being Overlooked by Mourinho to Scoring the Winner Against Real Madrid, He Completed His Revenge in Just 69 Minutes

A major upset emerged in La Liga. Real Betis defeated Real Madrid at home, and the player who scored the winning goal was 24-year-old Irish striker Troy Parrott, who had previously been overlooked by Mourinho and was close to joining a Championship club this summer.

This summer, Parrott's transfer to West Ham United was once close to completion. The Hammers urgently needed the Irish international to help the team return to the Premier League, but they were never willing to meet AZ Alkmaar's asking price. When negotiations reached a stalemate, Real Betis moved decisively and brought Parrott to Seville. On one side was the Champions League stage, and on the other was the Championship; on one side was the passionate La Cartuja stadium, and on the other was the London Stadium filled with frustration — Parrott made his choice almost without hesitation.

A substitute appearance after 69 minutes, and a fatal strike.

On Friday night, Parrott made his home debut for Betis, facing a Real Madrid side featuring Mbappe, Vinicius and Bellingham. In the opening stages, Real Madrid completely controlled the game with their speed and power, leaving Betis to defend and look for counterattacking opportunities. In the 69th minute, manager Manuel Pellegrini sent Parrott on, hoping he could change the course of the match.

Parrott immediately created danger after coming on. He battled against former Liverpool defender Konate, forcing the opponent to pull his shirt twice. As the match remained locked, Courtois saved Deossa's header, but the Real Madrid players seemed to overlook Parrott quietly moving closer. He instinctively stretched out a foot to poke the ball, and it rolled past Courtois into the net, 1-0!

At that moment, more than 60,000 Betis fans erupted. In the city of Seville, supporters either back Sevilla or Betis, and defeating Real Madrid carries special significance for them. After the match, Parrott likely would not need to buy his own drinks for quite some time.

From a “privileged one” to a conqueror.

It is worth noting that Parrott has a connection with Mourinho. During Mourinho's time as Tottenham manager, Parrott received almost no playing opportunities, and Mourinho even referred to him as a “privileged one” in an interview. Now, it was this same “privileged one” who handed Mourinho a defeat with his goal.

Before the final whistle, Mbappe also missed a penalty, while Real Madrid wasted several chances. Betis held on to the 1-0 scoreline until the end. Parrott responded to old grievances in the most dramatic way possible.