Football: Cristiano Ronaldo lookalike enjoys local fame in Iraq, but not riches

One of these men is the world's richest athlete - and the other works on a Iraqi construction site.

Spot the difference, if you can.

Biwar Abdullah, 25, will never have as much money as Portugese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, but he's gathering quite the fan club for his striking similarity to the Juventus forward and five-time FIFA Player of the Year.

Abdullah is a popular figure in the city of Soran, near the Iran border, where he is frequently stopped for photographs. He has also garnered a substantial social-media following.

Biwar Abdullah poses for photos with Iraqi locals
Biwar Abdullah poses for photos with Iraqi locals. Photo credit: Reuters.

"Biwar has a lot of fans and we are very happy for that," said Rizyar Najad, an employee at the local sportswear store. "People love him much, especially residents of Soran."

His father is a retired fighter from the Peshmerga Kurdish army and Abdullah had to give up school at seven to help his family survive.

"A lot of people tell me that I look like Cristiano, apart from whetehr I'm an Arab, Kurdish or foreigner," he says. "The important thing is that I meet him one day."

Like his lookalike, Abdullah also enjoys playing football - just not for the millions of dollars.

Newshub.