Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho has decided to turn his attention from the pitch to the silver screen as he prepares for life after the game.
Although he has appeared in the odd exhibition game since leaving Fluminense in 2015, Ronaldinho's playing career is winding down, but he's not about to disappear from the public eye.
The former Ballon d'Or winner is headed to Hollywood to pursue his dream of starring in one of a trilogy of rebooted versions of the Jean-Claude Van Damme classic Kickboxer.
— Ronaldinho Gaúcho (@10Ronaldinho) 31 May 2016
The film, entitled Kickboxer: Retaliation, will see Ronaldinho playing the role of 'Ronaldo' (what a leap) as he trains Alain Moussi's character to "refine his deadly kick" so that he can do battle with Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, better known as 'The Mountain' from Game of Thrones.
Moussi will also star in another installment in the series, Kickboxer: Vengeance, alongside Jean-Claude himself and UFC star Paige VanZant, while Dave Bautista will play the film's villain.
Speaking about the seemingly odd decision to recruit the former Barcelona player, producer Rob Hickman said that his global profile was a big draw for the movie:
"As producers, much like advertisers and brands, we must look at a potential star’s total value. In addition to his charisma, Ronaldinho also brings with him 66 million social media followers from all parts of the globe. Those numbers are an element that a lot of traditional movie stars can’t offer and when we market the film, is something that will be invaluable."
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