5 Best Movie Cameos by Football Players

Football matches have not been shown in cinemas yet, but some players got experience of starring on big screens. Almost every big football star of his generation has tried his skills in acting. Here are the top-5 best movie cameos by football players that we enjoyed the most.

Is there anything better than watching favorite stars on the big screen? Fortunately, more and more directors invite sports and music stars to participate in their films at least in small roles. Some cope with this task, the others don’t. Let’s see what 5 footballers made the best cameos in popular movies. 

Frank LaBoeuf’s cameo in The Theory of Everything

French football player Frank LaBoeuf opens the list of the best cameos by athletes. Starring in Theory of Everything allowed the former Chelsea defender to break some kind of a record. He is the only player to win the FIFA World Cup and be in a team of the Oscar-winning movie. The Stephen Hawking biopic was nominated for 5 categories, including the Best Picture. However, Eddie Redmayne (Hawking) was the only one who left the ceremony with the award in his hands.

If you cannot remember LaBoeuf ‘s face in Theory of Everything, it is not surprising as his scene is really short. Frank played a doctor who told the physicist’s wife that her husband wouldn’t be able to talk again. Apart from this film, the former footballer starred in several French pictures and theatre plays. Probably, it is time to bet on Oscars at Bet365 Sportsbook to include a special nomination for talented sportsmen.

Best movie cameos by football players: Eric Cantona 

Another French star is 4th on the list of the best movie cameos by football players. Eric Cantona is a former Manchester United player, who won 4 EPL titles with them. Known for his iconic status in the English club, Cantona is called one of the greatest Man Utd players ever, while fans nickname him as “King Eric”.

Probably, it was his royal nickname that made Cantona star in a cameo in an Oscar-winning picture Elizabeth. A 1998 film was nominated in 7 Academy Award categories but won just one for the Best Makeup. So, if you didn’t recognize Cantona, the blame was on great makeup artists’ work. The former footballer played a small role as a French ambassador coming to the Queen. Playing alongside Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush is a great achievement for a non-professional actor, to be honest. Apart from Elizabeth, Cantona starred in local movies and even directed his own short film.

Neymar’s epic role in xXx Reactivated

Neymar made one of the most epic football cameos in movies of the last years. A PSG forward shot in a small but very funny scene in xXx: Reactivated – a 2017 action film starring Vin Diesel, Samuel L. Jackson, Toni Colette, and Nina Dobrev. In some countries, the film is known as XXX: Return of Xander Cage.

Unlike his predecessors, Neymar plays himself in xXx: Reactivated. He stars in a lunch scene with Samuel L. Jackson, whose character rants about the non-safe environment in the country. In proof of his words, an armed mugger enters the cafe and threatens Jackson’s hero and two cashiers with a gun. To save them, Neymar kicks a napkin holder like a ball and defeats the criminal. His actions leave Jackson extremely excited.

Zidane stars in Asterix at the Olympic Games

When speaking about the best movie cameos by football players, it is impossible to ignore Zinedine Zidane. He is not only one of the greatest players and managers, but a good actor too. Besides betting on Real Madrid at Bet365 Sportsbook, you can enjoy his acting these days. A Ballon d’Or holder’s appearance in the third chapter of Asterix and Obelix movie adventures is worth mentioning.

In 2008, Zidane starred as himself in Asterix at the Olympic Games. A football player appeared at the end of the movie alongside a famous basketball player, Tony Parker. Both participated in the invention of new sports games (football and basketball correspondingly) and showed their best within their scenes. If you want to enjoy Zidane’s master class in a wig and ancient Greece clothing, watch Asterix at the Olympic Games. 

The movie is also worth seeing due to other cameos and main actors such as Alen Delon on Gerard Depardieu. Apart from Zidane and Parker, Amelie Mauresmo, Jean Todt, and Michael Schumacher starred in this comedy. 

Beckham’s three best movie cameos by football players

David Beckham is undoubtedly a king of cameos. A former English football player has made several movie appearances during his career. He even got a whole movie called Bend It Like Beckham but didn’t star in it personally due to a busy schedule. However, David doesn’t lack memorable roles in films, so here are some of them.

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. A 2017 Guy Ritchie’s film has a row of famous actors starring here. Jude Law, Eric Bana, Charlie Hunnam, and David Beckham in a small role of the knight named Trigger. Seeing the famous player in an armor suit is worth much.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Another Guy Ritchie film means another of Beckham’s cameo. The footballer played a projectionist aka small role due to his friendship with the director.

Goal series. Beckham appeared in all chapters of the Goal franchise. The first film also starred Zidane and Raul in episode roles. The second film brought Beckham a larger role, while the third one wasn’t even released in cinemas and went directly to DVDs.

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