Goal! III: Taking on the World is the third part of the association football Goal!

Goal! (trilogy)

The Goal! trilogy is a series of football films directed by Danny Cannon, Jaume Collet-Serra and Andrew Morahan. The first film, Goal!, was released in 2005, and the second film, Goal! 2: Living the Dream, was released in 2007...

film trilogy, directed by Andrew Morahan written and produced by Mike Jefferies

Mike Jefferies

Born in Liverpool, Mike Jefferies is a British screenwriter and film producer.Jefferies founded the highly successful media and publishing group Mondiale in 1991 which he sold to the Daily Mail in 1999 after winning the HRH Queens Award for Export in 1998....

 from the first two Goal! films. Unlike its two predecessors, this film did not have a theatrical release and was instead released on 15 June 2009 straight to DVD and Blu-ray in the United Kingdom.

Plot

In the third installment of the football drama trilogy Goal!

Goal! (film)

Goal! 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...

, Kuno Becker returns as Mexican footballer Santiago Muñez

Santiago Muñez

Santiago Muñez is a fictional character in the Goal! series of films and has recently retired. He is the main character in Goal! and Goal II: Living the Dream, and he is a supporting character in Goal III: Taking on the World. Muñez is portrayed by actor Kuno Becker...

, who, along with his best friends and England national team players Charlie Braithwaite (Leo Gregory

Leo Gregory

Leo Gregory is an English film and television actor. He has appeared in many films such as Green Street, Stoned, Act of Grace, Daylight Robbery, and Menace....

) and Liam Adams (JJ Feild

JJ Feild

John Joseph Feild , known professionally as J. J. Feild, is an Anglo-American actor.-Early and personal life:John Joseph Feild was born in Boulder, Colorado, to British academic Reshad Feild and his American wife. Through his father, he is a relative of British astronomer John Feild...

), are selected for their respective national teams at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals

2006 FIFA World Cup

The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...

 in Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

. This time round, Muñez is not the main character of the film (he has very little screen time) with that role going to Liam Adams and Charlie Braithwaite.

However, as the three attend the shooting of a film Braithwaite is featured in, tragedy befalls them. All three best friends and Braithwaite's new love interest and soon to be fiancée Sophia Tardelli (played by Kasia Smutniak) suffer a car accident which puts Muñez out of contention through injuries. Meanwhile, Liam Adams discovers to his horror that he has a new daughter, Bella, from former love interest June (played by Anya Lahiri

Anya Lahiri

Anya Lahiri is a British actress, model and singer of Indian and Finnish origin.-Biography:...

). This only adds to Liam's preexisting alcoholism and release from Real Madrid

Real Madrid C.F.

Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...

. It is revealed that Muñez is set to return to England as a Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur F.C.

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....

 player under a two-year contract, along with Adams, who re-signs from Newcastle United

Newcastle United F.C.

Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...

, the original club of both ex-Real players. The film goes on to depict the World Cup from the English perspective. Liam scores against Sweden

Sweden national football team

The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...

 (2-2), assisted by a header from Charlie, and England successfully qualify for the knock-out stages. However, in the match against Ecuador

Ecuador national football team

The Ecuadorian national football team represents Ecuador in international football competitions and is controlled by the Ecuadorian Football Federation. They generally play official home matches at Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa in Quito, but often play friendlies in other stadiums around the country...

, Braithwaite is injured, and later collapses in the changing room. Braithwaite is rushed to hospital, and dies on the way from an aneurysm (from the car accident). England crash out of the quarter-finals against Portugal

Portugal national football team

The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...

 as Adams misses a crucial penalty against Portuguese keeper Ricardo

Ricardo Pereira

Ricardo Alexandre Martins Soares Pereira, OIH , simply Ricardo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Vitória de Setúbal as a goalkeeper....

 while Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team...

 converts.

Adams later proposes June to marry him. Santiago Munez is the Best Man. During his wedding speech he remembers Charlie and his eyes get teary. As confetti is thrown on Liam and June, Italy

Italy national football team

The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...

 are shown lifting the World Cup Trophy after beating France

France national football team

The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...

 on penalties in the final.

Also following the tournament around Germany in their St. George's Cross festooned camper van are the "Geordie Boys", whom we first met back in the first Goal! film. Providing the entertaining fans' perspective of the matches are Newcastle United die-hards Gordon (Mike Elliott), Foghorn (Christopher Fairbank

Christopher Fairbank

Christopher Fairbank is an English actor best known for his role as Albert Arthur Moxey in the hit comedy-drama series Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.-Career:...

), Walter (Jack McBride), and Phil (Craig Heaney

Craig Heaney

Craig Heaney is a British screen, stage and radio actor. He may be best-known as Private Roy W Cobb in the award-winning ten-part mini-series Band of Brothers . He played Phil in Danny Cannon's 2005 football movie Goal! and its 2009 sequel, Goal! 3: Taking on the World...

) in their drunken, womanizing adventures in Germany.

Unlike in the first two films, Roz, Glen Foy, and Gavin Harris do not feature in the film. Santiago implies that he and Roz did not get back together following their separation, whereas the fates of Foy and Harris are unknown. All actual professional footballers are shown through stock World Cup footage. The sporting role of the actors in this film is limited to the green screen. In selected scenes, an unknown bald man is used as a double for Sven-Göran Eriksson.

Cast

• Leo Gregory
  Leo Gregory
  Leo Gregory is an English film and television actor. He has appeared in many films such as Green Street, Stoned, Act of Grace, Daylight Robbery, and Menace....
  
   as Charlie Braithwaite
• JJ Feild
  JJ Feild
  John Joseph Feild , known professionally as J. J. Feild, is an Anglo-American actor.-Early and personal life:John Joseph Feild was born in Boulder, Colorado, to British academic Reshad Feild and his American wife. Through his father, he is a relative of British astronomer John Feild...
  
   as Liam Adams
• Kuno Becker
  Kuno Becker
  Eduardo Kuno Becker Paz is a Mexican actor who has worked in telenovelas, Mexican cinema and U.S. cinema, but is best known for his portrayal of Ruben Berrizabal in Soñadoras and Santiago Muñez in the football movie Goal! and following sequels.-Early years:Becker was born in Mexico City to Manuel...
  
   as Santiago Muñez
  Santiago Muñez
  Santiago Muñez is a fictional character in the Goal! series of films and has recently retired. He is the main character in Goal! and Goal II: Living the Dream, and he is a supporting character in Goal III: Taking on the World. Muñez is portrayed by actor Kuno Becker...
  
  
• Nick Moran
  Nick Moran
  Nicholas James "Nick" Moran is an English actor, writer, producer and director, best known for his role as Eddy the card shark in Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels...
  
   as Nick Ashworth
• Tamer Hassan
  Tamer Hassan
  Tamer Hassan is a British actor of Turkish Cypriot descent.-Early life:Hassan was born in London, England into a Turkish Cypriot family. Having sustained an injury in boxing, Hassan started to run nightclubs and restaurants and is now the owner, chairman and player/coach of Greenwich Borough and...
  
   as Ronnie
• Kasia Smutniak
  Kasia Smutniak
  Kasia Smutniak is a Polish born actress and model. She starred in the movie From Paris with Love. She was born in Piła, Wielkopolskie, Poland. She speaks fluent Polish, Russian, English and Italian....
  
   as Sophia Tardelli
• Anya Lahiri
  Anya Lahiri
  Anya Lahiri is a British actress, model and singer of Indian and Finnish origin.-Biography:...
  
   as June
• Wendy McGregor Fitzsimmons as Sue

The St Anne's Afro Caribbean Centre in Nottingham provided the extras for the Trinidad and Tobago supporters, also students from the University of Nottingham.

Cameo appearances

Appearances were made by the following professional footballers and officials at the FIFA World Cup via stock footage only.

• Esteban Cambiasso
  Esteban Cambiasso
  Esteban Matías Cambiasso Deleau , nicknamed "Cuchu" , is an Argentine football midfielder who plays for Italian Serie A club Internazionale....
  
  
• Horacio Elizondo
  Horacio Elizondo
  Horacio Marcelo Elizondo is a former Argentine international football referee best known for his officiation throughout the 2006 FIFA World Cup...
  
   (FIFA Referee)
• John Aloisi
  John Aloisi
  John Aloisi is a retired Australian football player who played as a striker, and the current youth team manager at Melbourne Heart....
  
  
• Tim Cahill
  Tim Cahill
  Timothy Filiga "Tim" Cahill is an football player of Australian nationality who plays for Everton and the Australian national football team...
  
  
• Frank De Bleeckere
  Frank De Bleeckere
  Frank De Bleeckere is a Belgian football referee. He has been a referee since 1984, and an international official since 1998...
  
   (FIFA Referee)
• Kaká
  Kaká
  Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite , commonly known as Kaká , is a Brazilian football attacking midfielder who currently plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team. Kaká started his footballing career at the age of eight, when he began playing for a local club...
  
  
• Ronaldo
  Ronaldo
  Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima , commonly known as Ronaldo, is a retired Brazilian footballer who last played for Corinthians. Ronaldo is widely considered to be the greatest 'pure' striker in the history of the modern game, and by some accounts, in the history of football. Ronaldo was one of the...
  
  
• Milan Baroš
  Milan Baroš
  Milan Baroš is a Czech footballer who plays as a striker for Galatasaray and the Czech national football team.In the 2008–09 season, Baroš scored 20 goals in Turkish Süper Lig, the highest total in the league...
  
  
• Ulises de la Cruz
  Ulises de la Cruz
  Ulises Hernán de la Cruz Bernardo is a Ecuadorian footballer currently with LDU Quito.De la Cruz has set up a charity, Friends of FundeCruz, in his home village to fund a number of projects serving the local community....
  
  
• Agustín Delgado
  Agustín Delgado
  Agustín Javier Delgado Chalá is a retired Ecuadorian footballer. Nicknamed Tín, Delgado is the all-time top scorer for the Ecuadorian national team with 31 goals in 71 games. He played professional club football in Ecuador, Mexico and England.-Southampton:Delgado moved to Southampton in 2001...
  
  
• Iván Kaviedes
  Iván Kaviedes
  Jaime Iván Kaviedes Llorenty is an Ecuadorian footballer who plays for El Nacional. He is one of the leading players in Ecuadorian football.-Playing style:...
  
  
• Cristian Mora
  Cristian Mora
  Cristian Rafael Mora Medrano is an Ecuadorian football goalkeeper who plays for Universidad Católica.-Club career:...
  
  
• David Beckham
  David Beckham
  David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
  
  
• Michael Carrick
  Michael Carrick
  Michael Carrick is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Manchester United and the England national team. He has made more than 300 Premier League appearances and played in 50 UEFA Champions League games as of April 2011...
  
  
• Jamie Carragher
  Jamie Carragher
  James Lee Duncan "Jamie" Carragher is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League side Liverpool...
  
  
• Ashley Cole
  Ashley Cole
  Ashley Cole is an Barbadian-English professional footballer who plays for Chelsea and the England national team. He plays as a left-back and has been named one of the best in the world....
  
  
• Joe Cole
  Joe Cole
  Joseph John "Joe" Cole is an English footballer who plays for Lille, on loan from Liverpool, and the England national football team as midfielder. He started his career with where he played more than 100 games during five years, until he left for Chelsea in 2003...
  
  
• Peter Crouch
  Peter Crouch
  Peter James Crouch is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Stoke City and the England national team.Crouch started his career as a trainee with Tottenham Hotspur...
  
  

• Rio Ferdinand
  Rio Ferdinand
  Rio Gavin Ferdinand is an English footballer. He plays at centre back for Manchester United in the Premier League and for the England national football team...
  
  
• Steven Gerrard
  Steven Gerrard
  Steven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger...
  
  
• Owen Hargreaves
  Owen Hargreaves
  Owen Lee Hargreaves is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for English Premier League club Manchester City and the English national football team....
  
  
• Frank Lampard
  Frank Lampard
  Frank James Lampard is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Chelsea and the England national team. He also holds the position of vice-captain for his club side...
  
  
• Aaron Lennon
  Aaron Lennon
  Aaron Justin Lennon is an English footballer who plays as a right winger for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and the England national team.-Early life:...
  
  
• Gary Neville
  Gary Neville
  Gary Alexander Neville is a former English footballer. He is England's most capped right-back and was Manchester United's club captain for five years....
  
  
• Paul Robinson
  Paul Robinson (goalkeeper)
  Paul William Robinson is an English footballer who plays for Blackburn Rovers as a goalkeeper in the Premier League. He had also been an England international and he earned 41 caps between 2003 and 2007 before his retirement from international football in August 2010.He joined Leeds United at 16...
  
  
• Wayne Rooney
  Wayne Rooney
  Wayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...
  
  
• John Terry
  John Terry
  John George Terry is an English professional footballer. Terry plays in a centre back position and is the captain of Chelsea in the Premier League...
  
  
• Thierry Henry
  Thierry Henry
  Thierry Daniel Henry is a French professional footballer who plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and...
  
  
• Emmanuel Petit
  Emmanuel Petit
  Emmanuel "Manu" Laurent Petit is a retired French footballer, who played his club football for Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Chelsea...
  
  
• David Trezeguet
  David Trézéguet
  David Sergio Trezeguet is a World Cup winning French international footballer who currently is a free agent after being released by Baniyas SC on 21 Nov 2011....
  
  
• Miroslav Klose
  Miroslav Klose
  Miroslav Josef Klose is a German footballer who plays as a striker for Lazio in the Serie A. Since bursting onto the international stage at the 2002 World Cup, he has become well known for his knack of scoring headers, front-flip goal celebrations, and decisive short passing.Klose holds German...
  
  
• Fabio Cannavaro
  Fabio Cannavaro
  Fabio Cannavaro, Ufficiale OMRI is a former Italian footballer considered one of the greatest defenders of all time and was given the name "Muro di Berlino" which means The Berlin wall by Italian supporters. He spent the majority of his career in Italy...
  
  
• Filippo Inzaghi
  Filippo Inzaghi
  Filippo Inzaghi, Ufficiale OMRI commonly known as Pippo, is a World Cup and UEFA Champions League-winning Italian footballer who plays for Serie A club Milan....
  
  
• Gerardo Torrado
  Gerardo Torrado
  Gerardo Torrado Diez de Bonilla is an international Mexican football player, currently playing as a midfielder for Cruz Azul and is captain of the team. He is known as "El Borrego" for his bushy-like hair...
  
  
• Rafael Márquez
  Rafael Márquez
  Rafael Márquez Álvarez is a Mexican footballer who plays for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer and the Mexico national team. He plays as a centre back or defensive midfielder....
  
  
• Javier Hernandez
  Javier Hernandez
  Javier Hernandez is an American artist, comic book creator, and radio host from Whittier, California. Perhaps best known for creating the popular series, El Muerto: The Aztec Zombie, the majority of his works are published through his privately-owned imprint, Los Comex.-Early life:Javier Hernandez...
  
  

• Ruud van Nistelrooy
  Ruud van Nistelrooy
  Rutgerus Johannes Martinus "Ruud" van Nistelrooy, , is a Dutch footballer who plays as a striker for Málaga CF in Spain's La Liga. He is the second-highest goalscorer in Champions League history with 60 goals...
  
  
• Ricardo Carvalho
  Ricardo Carvalho
  Ricardo Alberto Silveira de Carvalho OIH , is a footballer who plays as a centre back for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid.Carvalho was born in Amarante where he played for the local team, Amarante Futebol Clube. By his great performance as a youngster, he was spotted by the Portuguese powerhouse,...
  
  
• Maniche
• Fernando Meira
  Fernando Meira
  Fernando José da Silva Freitas Meira is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Real Zaragoza in Spain, as a central defender.In his country, he represented most notably Vitória de Guimarães, also playing one year with Benfica...
  
  
• Miguel
  Miguel Monteiro
  Luís Miguel Brito Garcia Monteiro, simply Miguel , OIH , is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Valencia CF in Spain, mainly as a right defender.-Early years / Benfica:...
  
  
• Hélder Postiga
  Hélder Postiga
  Hélder Manuel Marques Postiga is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Real Zaragoza in Spain, as a striker.After starting professionally at Porto, Postiga went on to have spells in England , France and Greece , before returning to his country with Sporting.A Portuguese international on more than...
  
  
• Ricardo
  Ricardo Pereira
  Ricardo Alexandre Martins Soares Pereira, OIH , simply Ricardo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Vitória de Setúbal as a goalkeeper....
  
  
• Cristiano Ronaldo
  Cristiano Ronaldo
  Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team...
  
  
• Simão
  Simão Sabrosa
  Simão Pedro Fonseca Sabrosa, OIH , commonly known as Simão , is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Beşiktaş J.K. in Turkey, mainly as a left winger - he can also play as a forward - with dribbling and set piece skills as primary attributes.Having played in his country for two of the three...
  
  
• Ronaldinho
  Ronaldinho
  Ronaldo de Assis Moreira , commonly known as Ronaldinho or Ronaldinho Gaúcho, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Flamengo and the Brazilian national team as an attacking midfielder or forward. He is a two-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year, awarded to the best player over the year...
  
  
• Luis García
  Luis Javier García Sanz
  Luis Javier García Sanz , known as Luis García, is a Spanish footballer who plays for Puebla F.C. in Mexico, mainly as a left winger....
  
  
• Fernando Torres
  Fernando Torres
  Fernando José Torres Sanz , nicknamed , is a Spanish footballer who plays for Chelsea and the Spain national team as a striker....
  
  
• Xavi
  Xavi
  Xavier Hernández i Creus , commonly known as Xavi Hernández or simply Xavi , is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona, where he has spent his entire 14-year career....
  
  
• Henrik Larsson
  Henrik Larsson
  Henrik Edward Larsson MBE is a retired Swedish footballer and current manager of Landskrona BoIS.Larsson began his career with Högaborgs BK. He moved to Helsingborg, where he was one of the key players when they qualified to Allsvenskan 1993. Larsson then moved to Feyenoord for four years before...
  
  
• Fredrik Ljungberg
  Fredrik Ljungberg
  Karl Fredrik "Freddie" Ljungberg is a Swedish footballer who currently plays as a right winger for Shimizu S-Pulse in Japan. Ljungberg was captain of the Swedish national team until he announced his international retirement after UEFA Euro 2008.Ljungberg was a model for Calvin Klein underwear...
  
  
• Marcus Allbäck
  Marcus Allbäck
  Marcus Christian Allbäck , is a Swedish legend and coach, who currently is assistant coach for the Sweden national football team and plays as striker for the Division 1 Södra club Örgryte IS. He is a well-travelled striker known for his sharp finishing ability...
  
  
• Landon Donovan
  Landon Donovan
  Landon Timothy Donovan is an American soccer player for the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer in the United States. He usually plays as a withdrawn forward, and can also be used as an attacking midfielder on either wing....
  
  
• Massimo Busacca
  Massimo Busacca
  Massimo Busacca is a Swiss former football referee. He lives in Monte Carasso, Ticino, near Bellinzona, and is also the proprietor of a business....
  
   (FIFA Referee)