Brazil's Ronaldo to star as himself in Iranian film

Brazilian football star Ronaldo will star as himself in an Iranian movie based on the true story of a Palestinian girl who was killed before realizing her dream of meeting him, according to press reports Wednesday.

The film is based on the true story of 13-year-old Alneyrab who dreamed of meeting the sport superstar during his 2005 humanitarian mission to the region but was only able to watch him from a distance.

She dies in a refugee camp in Southern Lebanon after losing a leg to an anti-personnel mine without ever meeting her idol.

The three-time world player of the year has signed a pre-contract for the Iranian-directed film, his agent Fabiano Farah told the Brazilian sports website Globo website, though he still has to get permission from his club to act in it.

The 32-year-old two-time World Cup champion will appear in some dream scenes, said Farrokh Faradji Chadan, president of the Brazil-Iran chamber of commerce.

The film does not yet have a name.

The movie could start filming as early as September in Lebanon, where Ronoldo would only need to spend a few days shooting, he said, though he did not say how much the all-time leading World Cup scorer would be paid for his role in what Chadan called a “humanitarian” production.

He is set to be in Palestine September with his club Corinithians to play a friendly against another Brazilian club, the Fluminese. The teams rejected requests to play in Israel as well.

Ronaldo had previously visisted Israel and the West Bank in 2005 as a U.N. Development Program goodwill ambassador on a campaign against poverty.