Even professional football clubs, with detailed travel plans and team staff, aren’t immune to embarrassing mistakes. One of the most unusual incidents reportedly occurred in 2013, when Romanian club CFR Cluj accidentally left captain Ricardo Cadu behind at an airport during a team trip.

According to reports, Cadu briefly separated from the rest of the squad inside the terminal. While he was away, the team completed boarding procedures and the aircraft departed without anyone realizing that one of their most experienced players was missing. By the time officials noticed the mistake, the plane was already in the air, leaving Cadu stranded at the airport.

Club staff quickly arranged alternative travel so that Cadu could catch a later flight and reunite with the team. Fortunately, the mix-up caused no lasting problems, and the defender eventually joined his teammates before their scheduled activities.

The story spread rapidly through sports media because fans found it hard to believe that a professional club could accidentally leave behind one of its own players—especially its captain. The incident prompted jokes about headcounts, travel checklists, and whether anyone had actually looked around the team bus before boarding.

While travel mishaps occasionally affect professional sports teams—such as misplaced passports, delayed flights, or lost luggage—forgetting an entire player is exceptionally rare.