Chelsea leading contender in footie film

Chelsea fooball club is now the leading contender to feature in Goal! a trilogy of football films being developed by British entrepreneur Mike Jeffries with US producer Lawrence Bender.

Sources say that Manchester United was leading the race until Chelsea owner, Russian oil billionaire Roman Abramovich, poached Manchester Untied chief executive Peter Kenyon to run Chelsea.

The Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal is expected to star in the film as a Latino player from Los Angeles who travels first to an English club, then to either Spain or Italy and finally to the World Cup in his quest for stardom.

Production is expected to begin early next year, with the three films being completed in time for the 2006 World Cup.