Focus on the Ball

Okay, so I finally got around to watching *Cristiano Ronaldo: World at His Feet*. You know, that documentary kind of thing about the football superstar where he is portrayed as a sort of global hero. It’s an intriguing flick if you’re into sports legends, but as someone who’s more likely to watch Bergman’s *Fanny and Alexander* on repeat, this was a bit out of my comfort zone.

So first of all, there’s no denying the glitz—Ronaldo is, after all, a bloke whose life seems to glitter with gold. With narration by Benedict Cumberbatch (a voice like silk, that chap), you feel a bit like you’re listening to some kind of royal chronicle. And let’s not forget the director, Tara Pirnia, who’s built a few profiles like this. She definitely knows how to paint success with wide strokes.

And if I’m being honest, there was a moment while sipping my afternoon coffee (Gevalia, of course, can’t waste the good stuff) when a sequence showing Ronaldo’s childhood suddenly transported me back to when I kicked around a football in the streets of Gamla Stan. Back then, of course, I was more worried about dodging a parked Volvo than aspiring to superstardom.

The film’s all about achievements, and yet it sometimes feels like a bit of a PR gig. I mean, we get it, he scores goals, but does he score your feelings? Not so sure. Some bits seemed so, I don’t know, rehearsed? It’s like they say, you can have too much of a good thing—like surströmming.

Yet, you find yourself somewhat charmed, mesmerized even, by this Portuguese titan. So if you’re a football nut or just fancy a peek behind the scenes, grab your popcorn—or knäckebröd if you’re feeling Swedified—and give it a whirl. Just don’t expect any deep-dive journalism.

Check the trailer below