Goal! (also known as Goal! The Dream Begins in the United States) is a 2005 film directed by Danny Cannon.

It is the first installment of a trilogy also named Goal!. This film was made with full cooperation from FIFA, which is one of the reasons actual teams and players are used throughout the film. The second installment, Goal! 2: Living the Dream..., was released in February 2007. The third installment, Goal! III: Taking on the World, was released straight to DVD in June 2009.

Plot
Santiago Muez is a skilled footballer. He is the son of a gardener who lives in a barrio section of Los Angeles and illegally entered the USA from Mexico ten years earlier. Besides gardening with his father, he works as a bus boy in a Chinese restaurant. His ultimate dream is to play soccer professionally. Due to his poor life and the fact that he plays solely for a local club consisting of Hispanics who work in a car wash, he feels it is unlikely. One day his skills are noticed by Glen Foy, a former Newcastle United player and scout who works as a car mechanic. Glen arranges to get Muez a tryout with Newcastle United, who have recently signed a new player named Gavin Harris. Needing to get to England, Santiago starts to save his money, which he stashes in an old shoe. Unfortunately, his father steals his savings to buy aChevrolet truck, allowing them to work for themselves. His dream is not lost, though, when his grandmother, who loves soccer as much as he does, sells off some old jewelry and buys him his tickets to England. Glen warmly welcomes Santiago to his house and takes him to his tryout. Unfortunately, he is unused to playing in England, and plays badly. Glen manages to convince the manager that Santiago needs a month's trial to show his full potential. Santiago does not tell the full truth to the club nurse, Roz Harmison, in his medical test and does not mention his asthma. After a month, in a reserve game, a jealous teammate crushes Santiago's inhaler. His asthma causes him to play badly, and his coach lets him go. On his way to the airport, though, Santiago meets Harris, Newcastle's new signee, who was late for training due to stolen car tires and needed the same taxi. Harris finds out what happened in the reserve game, and makes him explain it to the manager, who lets him stay, provided he gets treatment. Santiago manages to get a contract for the reserves team and moves in with Gavin. He finally makes it into the first team, as a substitute in a match against Fulham F.C. He manages to get a penalty for Newcastle, winning them the match. Unknown to anyone else in his family, his father watches the match on TV in the USA, and after finally watching his son play, he leaves a proud father. Despite the victory, the manager informs Santiago that his weakness is that he does not pass the ball. That night, he and Harris go out partying, only for a picture of the two to wind up in the tabloid The Sun, causing anger from the manager. At the same time, Santiago's friend, Jamie, suffers a career-ending injury that only causes him additional grief. Meanwhile in Los Angeles, Santiago's father dies of a heart attack. Devastated, Santiago plans to return home. While in the airport waiting for his flight back to Los Angeles, he decides not to return. Believing he may not play any longer, he goes to St. James' Park to feel what it would be like to play there, and is informed by the manager that he has been selected to play against Liverpool F.C.. On match day, Harris puts Newcastle into the lead. Before half-time, Liverpool makes a comeback with two goals, from Igor Bian and Milan Baro. In the final minutes of injury time, Santiago assists Harris in scoring the equaliser by finally passing the ball to him, to make it 2-2. However, a draw will not be enough to earn Newcastle a place in next season's UEFA Champions League. Mere minutes before the end of the game, Harris is tripped and Newcastle gain a wide free kick, which Harris gives to Santiago. Santiago, with

the hopes and prayers of the whole city of Newcastle resting on his shoulders, scores, and Newcastle win 3-2. Glen reveals to Santiago that his grandmother is trying to call. She mentions that his father did watch his first match against Fulham, after learning this from a fellow supporter who happens to be Brian Johnson, lead singer from AC/DC, Newcastle born and bred. Santiago shouted to Glen that his father saw him play and was proud of him before he died. Glen replies: He's probably watching now. The film ends with Santiago shedding tears of joy while embracing his realised dream. [edit]Cast

Marcel Iures - coach Kuno Becker as Santiago Muez Alessandro Nivola as Gavin Harris Stephen Dillane as Glen Foy Anna Friel as Roz Harmison Tony Plana as Santiago's father Marcel Iure as Erik Dornhelm Kieran O'Brien as Hughie McGowan Sean Pertwee as Barry Rankin Mriam Coln as Mercedes Muez Cassandra Bell as Christina Alejandro Tapi as Jlio Kate Tomlinson as Val Arvy Ngeyitlala as Tom Zachary Johnson as Rory Jorge Cervera as Cesar Tasha Hettiarachchi as Cheerleader

[edit]Cameo

appearances

Zinedine Zidane

David Beckham Ral Gonzlez

Like millions of kids around the world, Santiago harbors the dream of being a professional footballer. However, living in the Barrios section of Los Angeles, he thinks it is only that--a dream. Until one day an extraordinary turn of events has him trying out for Premiership club Newcastle United. Written by kpugs Director: Danny Cannon

Writing credits
Mike Jefferies (story) and Adrian Butchart (story) Dick Clement Ian La Frenais (screenplay) and (screenplay)

118 min - 27 October 2005 (Greece)

Directed by

Danny Cannon

Produced by

Mike Jefferies Matt Barrelle Mark Huffam Danny Stepper

Written by

Adrian Butchart Dick Clement Ian La Frenais Mike Jefferies

Starring

Kuno Becker Alessandro Nivola Marcel Iure Stephen Dillane

Editing by

Chris Dickens

Distributed by

Touchstone Pictures

Release date(s)

30 September 2005 (UK) 27 August 2006 (US)

Running time

118 minutes

Language

English

Filming Locations: Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Middlesex, UK Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Middlesex, United Kingdom Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Middlesex, England Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom Los Angeles, California, USA Mexico U.S. Box Office: $4,280,577 Release Date: May 12th, 2006 (wide)