A Latino youngster travels to England to pursue his dream of football stardom Given that it was made with the official approval of football‘s governing body Fifa, and that the filmmakers gained sponsorship deals from high-profile brands such as the sportswear company Adidas, it is no surprise that the handsomely budgeted Goal! is an extended advert for "the beautiful game". With real-life superstars like Alan Shearer, David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane popping up in cameo roles, don‘t expect a film that might ruffle the feathers of those trusted with marketing the sport to fresh audiences.

The script by veteran British writing partnership Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais (‘Porridge‘, ‘Lovejoy‘, The Commitments), and Mike Jefferies and Adrian Butchart, offers up a predictable rags-to-riches account of a good-looking and exceptionally talented player Santiago Munez (Becker). Spotted by an ex-scout (Dillane) playing in a park match in Los Angeles, the asthmatic kid from Mexico is improbably offered a trial across the Atlantic at Newcastle United.

Leaving behind his father (Plana), who sternly disapproves of his son‘s sporting dream, Santiago must prove that he has the stamina, desire and capacity for teamwork to prosper at the highest level. But he faces off-field temptations on Tyneside. Directed by Danny Cannon, whose credits include Judge Dredd and co-producing the ‘CSI‘ TV franchise, Goal! is big and glossy. Certainly the inevitable training montage of sweeping helicopter shots, waves crashing on the sea front and Oasis blaring as our hero pounds the streets of Whitley Bay, has a crude, overblown quality.

As always with films about football, the action on the pitch is not as compelling as watching a real-life Ronaldinho or Robinho showing off his skills. Alessandro Nivola, in the role of a playboy midfielder who becomes Santiago‘s unexpected ally, provides the most entertaining performance. Still, it‘s a pity that the world he inhabits (one of nightclubs, groupies, predatory agents and tabloid scoops) is depicted so unconvincingly.