From the World Cup to the screens: Neymar, Pelé and more players who have already made appearances in movies

It is not new that cinema and football mix. The theme is always brought to the big screen and for streaming in documentaries, biopics and fiction films. However, special appearances have a different taste, even more so when they are unusual.

Since we are at the World Cup in Qatar, let’s remember the five films with tips of players who also shone in other Cups.

Neymar – “xXx: Reactivated”

Starting with Brazil, we have Neymar in the third film of the series that stars Vin Diesel as Xander Cage 🇧🇷 It is Neymar’s debut in the world of cinema, playing himself.

The player plays with Samuel L. Jackson who is Augustus Gibbons, an agent of the American government who recruits people for special missions. Augustus, then, tries to summon Neymar who denies it, saying: “I’m just a football player”. At the end of the scene, the sportsman saves Augustus by kicking an object right in the head of an assailant. “And you say you’re not a hero….” says the agent.

After his debut, Neymar still appeared in the series “La Casa de Papel” and in the national comedy “The Partners” 🇧🇷

David Beckham – “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword”

The most versatile of players is no stranger to the off-pitch world. In addition to having a clothing brand, Englishman David Beckham has modeled and appeared in several films.

However, in some of them, David Beckham does not play himself. It is the case of “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” where he plays the role of a guard of the kingdom.

His character’s name is Trigger and, although Beckham has only two lines, the camera makes a point of highlighting his presence in the film by applying a great close-up on his face in one of the scenes.

Eric Cantona – “Elizabeth”

The film about the early years of the reign of Elizabeth I of England earned an Oscar for Best Actress for Kate Blanchett and a participation of the French Eric Cantona like the character Monseiur de Foix.

The player began studying acting during his banishment from the sport in 1995 after getting into a fight with a fan.

After that premiere, he continued in the world of cinema. Directed his own film “Apporte-moi to amour” and participated in the long “Looking for Eric”, like himself

Frank Leboeuf – “The Theory of Everything”

Credited only as “Swiss Doctor”, the French Frank Leboeuf performs in French and English in a scene of about a minute and a half in “The theory of everything” which tells about the relationship between the famous scientist Stephen Hawking and your wife.

Franck works all the time with Felicity Jones , playing the physicist’s wife who, in this scene, is in a hospital bed. The doctor suggests turning off the devices, but the character refuses, saying that the scientist must live.

The player also made appearances in several series such as “Camping Paradise” and “Everybody Loves My Mom” 🇧🇷

Pelé and Bobby Moore – “Escape to Victory”

Few films have managed to bring together such an eclectic and, at the same time, such a specific cast. Michael Caine Sylvester Stallone, Max Von Sydow Pele and Bobby Moore come together to tell the story of a football match between Nazis and allies.

The game takes place in a prison camp and, while the Nazis are looking for a victory to use it as propaganda for the nation, the allies plan an escape during the game.

In addition to stars like Pelé and Moore, several other players are “extra” in the film: Osvaldo Ardilles 🇧🇷 John Wark and Russell Osman are some of the names that appeared on the big screen for the first time.

This is the third film by Pelé, who previously starred in a pornochanchada classic: “The Trumpets” 🇧🇷