- Nasima Akter
10 Footballers Who Appeared in Films
Footballers are not shy when it comes to giving a show on the field, but do you know a few of them have performed on screen? There have been a few players that made appearances in different shows. A few retired footballers even tried their hand at the performing arts after hanging their boots. While not everyone ended up doing long-term in the world of media and performance, some left their mark. Out of these different players, there are a few that managed to land an appearance in a film. These are a few footballers, both players and retire figures, who appeared in a film:
Eric Cantona
Remember Eric Cantona, the French soccer superstar from the '90s? He was a total legend during his time playing for Manchester United and is still considered one of the greatest players the team has ever had.
After he retired from soccer, he decided to focus on acting. His first big break was in the period drama Elizabeth, directed by Shekhar Kapur. Cantona played the part of French Ambassador Paul de Foix, and he did a great job!
From there, he went on to star in many other movies both in France and around the world.
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane is one of the greatest football players of all time. He won the FIFA World Player of the Year award three times and played for amazing clubs like Real Madrid and Juventus. He won almost everything you can win at the club level.
But Zidane wasn't just a star on the club scene. He also helped France win the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship two years later. In fact, he scored two goals in the World Cup final against Brazil!
After retiring from playing, Zidane became a coach. He's actually in his second stint coaching Real Madrid and made history during his first go-round.
But did you know Zidane has also been in some movies? In 2006, he had a cameo in the TV show Family Guy. He played himself as a pizza delivery guy who headbutts a customer. It was a funny scene that parodied the real-life incident where Zidane headbutted Marco Materazzi.
Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole is a legendary English left-back who played for some of the biggest football clubs in the UK. He helped Arsenal win the Premier League in the 2003/2004 season, when they remained unbeaten throughout the campaign. Later, he moved to Chelsea where he won more major trophies, including the Premier League and the Champions League. Cole also played for England 107 times, more than any other full-back in the team's history.
Apart from his football career, Cole has also made appearances in movies and documentaries. He produced and starred in a documentary called Arsenal - Arsene's Eleven in 2007, which was about his time playing for Arsenal under manager Arsene Wenger. He also appeared in the 2009 movie Dead Man Running.
Neymar
In the movie xXx: Return of Xander Cage, Brazilian football player Neymar appears alongside Samuel L. Jackson and uses his soccer skills to hit someone with a napkin dispenser. It's a bit surprising to see him in the movie, but it fits with the movie's humorous tone. It's similar to David Beckham's cameo in King Arthur.
David Beckham
David Beckham's good looks and fame as a football player made it likely that he would try his hand at Hollywood after retiring. And when he moved to Los Angeles to play for LA Galaxy, it seemed even more likely. But while he hasn't become a huge movie star, he's had some pretty cool roles. You might remember him in the Goal movies, or as the projectionist in the spy movie A Man from U.N.C.L.E. He even appeared in the action-packed King Arthur movie in 2017.
But the role that really caught people's attention was in Deadpool 2. In one scene, Ryan Reynolds shows up at David Beckham's door to apologize for making fun of his voice. And guess what? Beckham plays himself! It's a funny moment in the movie that shows off Beckham's sense of humor.
