Vin Diesel Says Soccer Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is Joining the Fast and Furious Family
The Fast & Furious film series has never shied away from the unexpected. We’ve seen street racers jump a bridge, land a Camaro SS on a boat, leap a Lykan Hypersport between buildings, and even travel to outer space. But even as Vin Diesel and his band of motoring maniacs have raised the bar for oddity in each instalment, the 11th film in the franchise (ELEVENTH!) might have something nobody could have predicted: the appearance of soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. We have several doubts, but there could be some sense in the move to include the athlete. If Paul Walker could return, why can’t Ronaldo appear?
Two Stars Hint at Ronaldo’s F&F Debut
In a post on Instagram, F&F star and producer Vin Diesel shared a photo of himself with CR7, hinting that the Portugal national soccer team’s captain may appear in the next film, writing, “Everybody asked, would he be in the Fast mythology… I gotta tell you he is a real one. We wrote a role for him…” Co-star Tyrese Gibson also indicated Ronaldo’s appearance in the next film, though he used a (frankly bizarre) AI-generated image in his Facebook post, writing, “Welcome to the FAMILY! Cristiano Ronaldo.” It’s worth noting that, thus far, Ronaldo himself has not commented on either post, nor has he otherwise confirmed that he will be starring. Furthermore, as a full-time professional soccer player with commitments to his Saudi club Al Nassr and the Portuguese national team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it’s unlikely that Ronaldo would be able to spend much time on screen as things stand.
Of course, with Fast X: Part 2 still in a state of limbo with no confirmed script or official production start, it’s unlikely that a role would impact Ronaldo heavily, especially if he retires from the national team after next year’s FIFA tournament in North America. At 40 years old, Ronaldo is expected to stop adding to his tally as the all-time leading goal scorer sooner rather than later, and among his interests is film, having opened a studio with filmmaker Mathew Vaughn (who was behind the Kingsman series, Layer Cake, and others) earlier this year, according to Variety.
Why Ronaldo Makes Sense for F&F
Bugatti
We don’t know what role Ronaldo might play, but he’s a serial car collector. Among his collection are a Bugatti Centodieci, a Chiron, and a Veyron, a McLaren Senna, a Lamborghini Aventador, and several limited-edition Ferrari models, including the Monza SP2, the F12 TDF, and a white 599 GTO. He’s also got a Purosangue and recently ordered a Bugatti Tourbillon, and it’s not inconceivable that he could make a small cameo with part of his 40-strong car collection. Whatever he does in the movie, his star power would surely bring more feet through cinema doors when the film finally arrives. John Cena, although a more established actor than Ronaldo, certainly drew additional attention to the series when he arrived, as did Dwayne Johnson, and with Ronaldo being the most followed person in the world on Instagram, his presence would be a marketing boon for the franchise. That said, Ronaldo would not give up his time cheaply, and with Fast 11‘s delays reportedly due, in part, to financial disagreements between Universal and Diesel, it seems unlikely that Ronaldo’s role will be a major one.
