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IMDbPro

Goal! The Dream Begins

Original title: Goal!
  • 20052005
  • PGPG
  • 1h 58m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
64K
YOUR RATING
Goal! The Dream Begins (2005)
CT #1
Play trailer2:21
18 Videos
38 Photos
DramaRomanceSport
The extremely talented Santiago Muñez is spotted by a Newcastle United scout and given a chance at professional football.The extremely talented Santiago Muñez is spotted by a Newcastle United scout and given a chance at professional football.The extremely talented Santiago Muñez is spotted by a Newcastle United scout and given a chance at professional football.
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
64K
YOUR RATING
    • Danny Cannon
    • Michael Winterbottom
  • Writers
    • Mike Jefferies(story)
    • Adrian Butchart(screenplay)
    • Dick Clement(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Kuno Becker
    • Alessandro Nivola
    • Anna Friel
    • Danny Cannon
    • Michael Winterbottom
  • Writers
    • Mike Jefferies(story)
    • Adrian Butchart(screenplay)
    • Dick Clement(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Kuno Becker
    • Alessandro Nivola
    • Anna Friel
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 132User reviews
    • 89Critic reviews
    • 53Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos18

    Goal! The Dream Begins
    Trailer 2:21
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    Goal! The Dream Begins
    Clip 0:45
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    Goal! The Dream Begins
    Clip 0:58
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    Goal! The Dream Begins
    Clip 0:34
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    Goal! The Dream Begins
    Clip 1:14
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    Goal! The Dream Begins
    Clip 1:19
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    Goal! The Dream Begins
    Clip 2:08
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    Goal! The Dream Begins
    Clip 0:28
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    Goal! The Dream Begins
    Clip 1:12
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    Goal! The Dream Begins
    Clip 0:45
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    Goal! The Dream Begins
    Clip 1:40
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    Goal! The Dream Begins
    Clip 1:02
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    Photos38

    Stephen Dillane in Goal! The Dream Begins (2005)
    Kuno Becker and Kevin Knapman in Goal! The Dream Begins (2005)
    Kuno Becker in Goal! The Dream Begins (2005)
    Kuno Becker, Miriam Colon, and Tony Plana in Goal! The Dream Begins (2005)
    Marcel Iures and Gary Lewis in Goal! The Dream Begins (2005)
    Andy Ansah, Kuno Becker, and Alex Lawler in Goal! The Dream Begins (2005)
    Kuno Becker and Anna Friel in Goal! The Dream Begins (2005)
    Kuno Becker, Stephen Dillane, and Marcel Iures in Goal! The Dream Begins (2005)
    Alessandro Nivola in Goal! The Dream Begins (2005)
    Kuno Becker in Goal! The Dream Begins (2005)
    Goal! The Dream Begins (2005)
    Anna Friel in Goal! The Dream Begins (2005)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kuno Becker
    Kuno Becker
    • Santiago Munez
    Alessandro Nivola
    Alessandro Nivola
    • Gavin Harris
    Anna Friel
    Anna Friel
    • Roz Harmison
    Leonardo Guerra
    • 10-Year-Old Santiago
    Tony Plana
    Tony Plana
    • Hernan Munez
    Miriam Colon
    Miriam Colon
    • Mercedes
    Jorge Cervera
    • Cesar
    Herman Chavez
    • Referee
    Alfredo Rodríguez
    • Julio
    Donald Li
    Donald Li
    • Chinese Restaurant Manager
    Kate Tomlinson
    • Val
    Jake Johnson
    Jake Johnson
    • Tom
    Zachary Johnson
    Zachary Johnson
    • Rory
    Stephen Dillane
    Stephen Dillane
    • Glen Foy
    Sean Pertwee
    Sean Pertwee
    • Barry Rankin
    Jonathan Hernandez
    Jonathan Hernandez
    • Armando
    Cassandra Bell
    Cassandra Bell
    • Christina
    Rhydian Jones
    Rhydian Jones
    • Sales Person
      • Danny Cannon
      • Michael Winterbottom
    • Writers
      • Mike Jefferies(story) (screenplay)
      • Adrian Butchart(screenplay) (story)
      • Dick Clement(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The role of main character Santiago was originally going to be played by Diego Luna but he left to work on other projects. Kuno Becker actually called Diego before he took the role to hear Diego's reasons for not taking the role.
    • Goofs
      In the story Newcastle have 3 matches left and since they're trying to qualify for a place in a European competition, logically it is the end of the season. Yet, we see that Newcastle sign Gavin Harris around the same time (so that they could win the remaining matches) which is impossible because a club can only sign a player in the summer or winter break. They can sign a player during the season but he would not be eligible to play for the new club.
    • Quotes

      Santiago Munez: The only one who can tell me I'm not good enough is you. And even then I may not agree with you.

    • Alternate versions
      US version was cut for commercial reasons to a PG rating (the original version had a PG-13 rating).
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: The Black Dahlia/The Gridiron Gang/Everyone's Hero/Haven (2006)
    • Soundtracks
      Playground Superstar
      Written by Shaun Ryder, Gary Wheelan, Kavin Sandu, Dave Parkinson

      Performed by the Happy Mondays

    User reviews132

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Great movie - loads of fun
    I think we would all likely agree the "rags to riches" story has been done to death by Hollywood. But, when someone comes along and gets it right the results can be truly excellent. Perhaps the best know of this genre is original "Rocky" movie. "Goal - the dream begins" gets it right, even though it is loaded with all the clichés that generally accustom this kind of movie. "Goal" has the whole recipe here - the unknown with the heart of gold, a unique and virtuosic talent, from a downtrodden and hopeless setting, the brooding and unsupportive parent who refuses to accept his child's potential, the doting grandparent who can see the potential that lies within our hero, the outsider who promises a way to fame and fortune and so on... But, like the first few "Rocky" movies, this one delivers without falling into the usual schmaltzy pitfalls.

    Kuno Becker is very well cast as promising young player Santiago Munez. He is earnest, honest, and gives off that glow of burning desire to be the best. My only knock is that he doesn't quite physically look the part at times. When they line him up with real professionals he looks a touch slight and skinny, not quite boasting the musleclature of a professional athlete. The supporting cast works out well, too. No real complaints to offer as everyone seems to be a very good fit. Alessandro Nivola's dialect could use a spot of work, but no one outside of the UK will really pick up on this. I very much liked Marcel Irues as Newcastle United's Manager. He seemed to be a totally natural fit for the role and is a shoe in for the lead if someone ever decides to make the "Aime Jacquet story".

    Where this movie really takes off is on the pitch, whether its a park in LA, the training ground in Newcastle, or St. James Park, the home of Newcastle United. The soccer scenes are exceptionally well done and look realistic. Real players feature prominently all over film, both on and off the pitch, and not just in walk on cameos, ie "Bend it like Beckham". The action is convincing, the tackles are crunching, and the goals are authentic and not the usual over the top spectacle (anyone remember Pele's winner from "Victory"?) Becker fits in well with the action scenes, though it's odd how you never really see all of Becker on the ball and usually just the waist up, kind of like they found some else to do all the little flicks and stepovers...

    And for all those who say "it can't happen", I beg to differ. This movie is not fantasy. In fact, they could have made a biopic about a young Calgarian from Western Canada who somehow manages to make Bayern Munich, works his way up through the reserves, and in his premier season with the senior side wins the league and European Cup, makes the England side for World Cup 2002, and returns again to be the best England player in World Cup 2006! Maybe someday someone out there will make the "Owen Hargreaves story".

    All in all, great stuff and I'm already looking forward to Goal 2 & 3.
    helpful•24
    7
    • sheppypants
    • Sep 29, 2006

    FAQ1

    • During the scene when Roz says, "Yeah ya do. It's green an' it's got a goal post at each end" when she smiles, her mouth looks like it is full of blood! The scene is quick but unedited. Any answeres?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 12, 2006 (United States)
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • St James' Park, Strawberry Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Touchstone Pictures
      • Milkshake Films
      • Lawrence Bender Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 58 minutes
      • Color
      • SDDS
      • Dolby Digital
      • DTS

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