Goal! Secured FIFA With David Beckham Cameo  9/6/05

David Beckham saved low-budget British soccer movie Goal! after his cameo role enabled producers to finally secure funding for the movie.

Producers were desperate for the sponsorship deal to ensure the movie, which mixes footage from both real and staged matches, was as realistic as possible.

But the prestigious Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) only agreed to the $25 million budget after they were informed Real Madrid ace Beckam and fellow international soccer stars Zinedine Zidane and Alan Shearer were making an appearance.

Writer Mike Jefferies says, "We've seen successful motor racing, horse racing, baseball and boxing movies, and they've all done justice to the sport because they're all had budgets of $20 million, $30 million and $40 million.

"What we've achieved is a partnership with some of the world's leading corporations and FIFA's main partners - Adidas, Philips, Yahoo!, Toshiba.

"Not only did Fifa endorse the film, it opened doors to the football world and to it's sponsors."

The film is set to hit UK cinemas on 23 September (05).

* CORRECTION: WENN has been alerted to inaccuracies in a story we transmitted in today's (06SEPT05) first feed (GOAL! SECURED FIFA WITH BECKHAM CAMEO). We have been advised by the Special Adviser to the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) President that senior executives had formally and publicly endorsed the GOAL! movie trilogy long before any talks with soccer superstars David Beckham, Raul and Zinedine Zidane ever began, and not, as we suggested, as a result of the big names signing on to appear in the films. Our claim therefore, that GOAL! needed Beckham's cameo in the movie in order to obtain FIFA's endorsement is wrong and misleading. FIFA bosses also point out that the agreement between them and the producers of GOAL! entails technical advice provided by FIFA to the production, access to its members and trademarks as well as brands, and a joint merchandising initiative between the two parties. In return for the endorsement and the access granted by FIFA, the Producers provide two per cent of the net profits of the trilogy to a football development fund of FIFA, which supports grass roots activities, mainly for children who live in underprivileged conditions, around the globe. The first of the trilogy, made at a cost of $33 million (#18.3 million), will premiere in London on 15 September (05). Pre-production on sequel GOAL!2 has started in Madrid, Spain. Apologies for any inconvenience. WENN Editor (KL/WN)