Footballers becoming movie stars? 6 players who have appeared in the cinema

Maybe you have not noticed, but these football players have taken their talent to the big screen. Many producers sometimes invite some recognized faces to be part of their tapes for a few seconds. Among these faces are, of course, those of some of the most recognized footballers on the planet. 

We present here 6 examples that have made one or two appearances in the cinema.

Pele - O Barão Otelo no Barato dos Bilhões

Some claim that the Brazilian is the greatest player of all time. And while the discussion about it is never ending, what is indisputable is his love of appearing in movies.

The former Brazilian World Cup-winner made his debut on the big screen in O Barão Otelo no Barato dos Bilhões, in 1971. That wasn’t all as he acted in 12 other movies after that.

Ronaldo - Mike Bassett

The Brazilian was only once into the world of cinema. In 2001, Mike Bassett premiered: England Manager, a fake documentary that follows Mike Bassett, played by Ricky Tomlinson, who becomes the representative of the English team after having represented a club that wins the league.

In this satirical film, Ronaldo makes a very short appearance in which he says only one line. The film was later turned into an English series, in which, of course, the footballer did not participate.

Cantona - Looking for Eric 

And more over 30 movies

Since embarking on an acting career in the late 1990s, Cantona has amassed credits in over 30 movies and continues to accept roles.

While he has mostly appeared in indie French-language films, the former Manchester United captain had a role in the BAFTA award-winning Elizabeth (1998), in which he starred alongside Cate Blanchett.

Looking for Eric (2009), directed by Ken Loach, is perhaps Cantona's best known movie. It received a rating of 85 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.

Neymar - xXx: Return of Xander Cage

Many call him an actor on the soccer field due to his exaggerations when he needs a foul. What they do not know is that the Brazilian also acts in an action movie for a few seconds.

This is xXx Reactivated, the movie starring Vin Diesel, the third installment of the xXx action movie series. 

When it comes to marketability, Neymar is one of the top dogs in the game right now. It is one of the reasons why the Brazilian became the most expensive player of all time when he moved to PSG.

And Hollywood made use of this global appeal by casting him in a cameo alongside the Big Bad Mother****er Samuel L. Jackson, who continuously blabbered all throughout the scene while Neymar listened to him without having a clue of what was actually going on.

Zidane - Asterix At The Olympic Games

It is a film set in ancient Greece in which two heroes face each other for the love of a princess at the Olympic Games. Who is Zidane in this story? He is an Egyptian who dominates the ball very well.

David Beckham - Goal

It is no secret to anyone that the former English footballer has millions of other passions and professions besides football. He has a clothing brand and since his time as a footballer, he has been modeling for countless design firms and sports brands. He has already appeared in several film productions.

One of these appearances, however, is not a cameo. We refer to the English player in the title of the film Bend it like Beckham, which tells the story of an Indian teenager who hides her traditional parents she has joined a women's football team.

Also in the movie Goal! He makes an appearance, this time acting. Acts of himself in the company of other colleagues of Real Madrid at that time in this film that is about a Mexican opening step in European football.

Finally, he also makes a cameo in King Arthur's film, in which he plays one of the king's squires.