What do you do, when you hang up your boots. Well, here are 6 example of professional footballers who took up or attempted acting once they retired.
David Beckham -Becks has appeared as himself in all three of the legendary ‘Goal’ movies as a friend to ‘Santiago Munez’. He also appeared in a special episode of the British comedy sitcom, ‘Only Fools and Horses’. He even had a cameo in the film ‘The Man From UNCLE’.
Pele -Pele is perhaps the most recognisable footballer on the face of the planet, the Brazilian has starred in nearly half a dozen projects, including television series. There’s the famous ‘Escape to Victory / Victory’ (1981) with his glorious bicycle kick shown in slow-motion. And he can also be seen in ‘A Minor Miracle’ (1983) where he helps a bunch of orphans trying to save their home. While in the ‘Hotshot’ (1987) he acts as a mentor to a young American football player.
Ian Wright -Ian Wright has enjoyed much success on the pitch for the English national team and for clubs like Arsenal and West Ham; post-playing career he’s had quite a prolific career as a television and radio presenter putting him square. As a football pundit for BT Sport and the BBC. ‘Sun of the Black Gun’ was his first film on the big screen. Wright plays a Brit Gangster. Many reviewers have called him the best thing about the otherwise terrible film.
Carlo Ancelotti -Former Italian midfielder and future Bayern Munich manager flirted with a side career in acting during the 1980s. The 1983, Italian comedy, The World of Don Camillo, was about a priest who coaches the town’s football team in a match an “evil” team aptly named the “Devils”. Ancelotti played a footballer on the “Devils” who has more than a handful of nasty tricks up his sleeve that are ignored by the corrupt referee.
Eric Cantona -As a Manchester United player, he won five Premier League titles, two League and two FA Cups. Cantona has long retired but he’s made quite a successful jump to a full time acting career. Starting off with Shekar Kapur’s Oscar winning, ‘Elizabeth’ (1998) he’s already acted in over two dozen movies, with most of them being French. Recently he has been a part of ‘The Mad Kings’ and ‘The Salvation’.
Vinnie Jones -Jones has been the most successful in making the transition from professional Footballer to professional actor. The Welsh midfield enforcer has had over 350 premiere league appearances for clubs like Chelsea and Leeds United. However when he made his acting debut with Guy Ritchie’s Brit Gangster flick, ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ (1998). He usually plays the tough guys which is reflective of his on-field persona as a brawler.
He had much success with ‘Snatch’ where he played the invincible Bullet Tooth Tony and later played a disgraced footballer in ‘Mean Machine’. His big moment came, when he appeared as the Juggernaut in ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’.