Troy Parrott sparks Betis mania in Ireland after goals against Real Madrid and Lille

Troy Parrott is enjoying a golden week as a Real Betis player. The Irish striker scored the winning goal against Real Madrid in LaLiga and followed it up in the Champions League with the decisive 2-3 strike away at Lille. His sudden impact has electrified the Verdiblanco fanbase and, at the same time, sparked a genuine Betis fever in Ireland that is now visible in club shops, on social media and in ticket sales.

• Troy Parrott scored the 1-0 winner against Real Madrid in LaLiga and the decisive goal away at Lille in the Champions League.
• Online sales of Real Betis products shipped to Ireland have jumped from 0.28% to 10.17% of the total.
• Betis fans living in Ireland are working to set up the Troy Parrott supporters' club in Sligo.
• The club's English-language X account has gained more than 13,000 new followers, around 8,000 of them Irish.
• Joe Cole compared Parrott to Harry Kane and warned that big clubs will come looking for him.

Parrott's impact beyond the pitch: Ireland falls in love with Betis

The signing of Troy Parrott has had an effect far beyond what happens on the pitch. A genuine Betis mania has taken hold in Ireland, and the numbers back it up. Between August 20 and September 10, online sales of Verdiblanco merchandise headed to Ireland multiplied dramatically: they went from making up 0.28% of total sales to 10.17%. That surge makes Ireland, a country of just over five million people, the second biggest current consumer of Real Betis products through the club's online store.

A new Troy Parrott supporters' club is born in Sligo

The Irish passion for Betis has reached the northwest of the island. A group of Betis supporters living in Ireland has begun the process of setting up the Troy Parrott supporters' club in Sligo, a town of around 20,000 inhabitants and the second largest urban centre in the province of Connacht after Galway. The future peña will carry the name of the striker who has connected two sets of fans separated by thousands of kilometres.

Tickets, social media growth and a busy October at La Cartuja

The desire to see Parrott live is also reflected in ticket sales. A total of 102 tickets have been bought from Ireland for the matches against Real Sociedad and Real Madrid, and a much larger turnout of Irish fans is expected for the run of games Betis will play in October at La Cartuja after the international break. Osasuna, Porto, FC Barcelona, Feyenoord and Málaga will be the fixtures in which the Irish faithful can cheer on their new green-and-white star in Seville.

The digital impact matches the emotional one. Real Betis' English-language X account has gained more than 13,000 followers since Parrott arrived, with around 8,000 of them coming from Ireland. It is a clear sign of the pulling power one player can generate across the continent when he clicks with an entire country.

Joe Cole compares Parrott to Harry Kane and sends a warning to Betis

This is almost Harry Kane style. If he keeps going like this, the big clubs will come for him.

Troy Parrott's performance in Lille did not go unnoticed by Joe Cole. The former England international, capped more than 50 times by the Three Lions and a World Cup participant in 2002, 2006 and 2010, analysed the Irishman's goal on TNT Sports and compared his finishing to Harry Kane's. Cole highlighted the way Parrott received the ball around 30 yards from goal, drove forward with purpose, feinted by dropping his shoulder and finished with a low left-footed shot into the far corner.

The former West Ham, Chelsea and Liverpool player stressed that the Betis striker has complete control of the situation and stayed calm while setting himself up in front of goal. He also praised the Irishman's journey: Parrott has learned his craft and left the British Isles to develop in other countries. For Cole, seeing players from that part of the world succeed in Europe is refreshing, and he warned that Ireland is already placing its biggest hopes on Parrott as a star of the national team.

Troy Parrott, Ireland's great hope and the new idol of the Benito Villamarín

Parrott's instant impact has completely changed the perception of his signing. What began as a sporting bet by Real Betis has become one of the great successes of the season. The Irish striker has settled in Seville with ease, produced top-class goals against major opponents and won over a fanbase that now sees a forward with instinct, personality and the ability to decide big matches.

With the Champions League and LaLiga in full swing, Betis face an autumn packed with matches at La Cartuja. There, among Sevillanos and Irish fans alike, Parrott will have the chance to prove that the past week was no mirage and that his name is here to stay.