'Bend it' star scoops top award

A British actress who starred in the hit film Bend It Like Beckham has been named an international football personality of the year.

Parminder Nagra won the the equivalent of a footballing “Oscar” from Fifa chief Joseph Blatter, the most powerful man in world football.

Blatter said at the ceremony in Madrid that Miss Nagra’s contribution to the game was “unequalled”.

Miss Nagra won the award and was present at the same ceremony where Brazil’s World Cup winner Ronaldo was named World Player of the Year 2002.

She said: “It was one of the most overwhelming but amazing things I have been a part of – a real highlight in my career so far.”

In the film she played, Jess, an 18-year-old who overcomes her strict Asian family’s opposition to play for a local soccer team in Hounslow, west London.

Mr Blatter said: “Bend it like Beckham is a delight, a feel-good film that goes straight to the heart of all of us at FIFA who know only too well what it is to fall head over heels in love with football!

“Love’s young things in the film are two football-crazy girls who convey to perfection the core values of our sport – work, respect and tolerance. “

“In my capacity as FIFA President, I have been working to promote women’s football for many years now, so I can only salute such excellent publicity for the women’s game.

“Football’s inherent tolerance comes across very well in ‘Bend It’. Ours is the universal sport par excellence, transcending people, cultures, religion and sex.”