The amazing story of Santiago Munoz

Newcastle United have signed Santiago Munoz!

If you don’t recognize that name already, you might be wondering where you heard it before.

Remember that football movie Goal, where a footballer comes up from a humble background, signs for Newcastle, and then makes his way into a star-studded Real Madrid side?

The name of that player was Santiago Munoz!

Of course, Santiago Munoz was a fictional character portrayed by Mexican actor Kuno Becker. In a dramatic turn of events, Newcastle United are going to bring in a player named Santiago Munoz, and football fans are losing their minds over it!

Munoz will initially arrive at Tyneside on an 18-month loan from Liga MX club Santos Laguna.

That means he will stay at the club halfway through the 2022/23 season.

The Magpies also have a buy option, which will enable them to keep hold of the teenager beyond that point if they want.

The movie plot

The uncanny resemblance to the Goal movie, however, is what makes this transfer so fascinating. 

In the 2005 hit film ‘’ Goal’’, Newcastle United sign a Mexican youth team player named Santiago Munoz after the youngster impresses the club’s coaching staff in the trial.

As the story progresses, Munoz establishes himself as one of the key players in the club, shrugging off many hurdles.

He lefts and comes back to Newcastle to lead the club to Champions League glory.

How good is Munoz?

The Santiago Munoz Newcastle did sign in real life had a far less exhilarating career up until now.

Munoz was born in El Paso, Texas but he chose to play for the country his parents are from. The striker represents the Mexico U-23 team and is hopeful of earning a senior cap soon.

He was part of the Mexico U-17 team that made it to the World Cup final in 2019. 

Kuno Becker has sent a video message to Munoz congratulating him on his move to the Premier League club.

The 43-year-old expressed his joy at a fictional story becoming a real life story, and wished Munoz can actually score a lot of goals to help the Magpies in their Premier League journey.

In a previous interview, Becker had said he fell in love with Newcastle while filming Goal and wishes to return to St James Park soon. 

Some believe that signing Munoz was a PR stunt Newcastle felt too good to pass up on.

That would be a harsh take since Munoz is very highly rated and is considered to be one of El Tri’s future stars.

He was played 16 matches for the Mexico U-17 and scored 8 goals. After making his senior debut for Santos Laguna last October, he found the net 3 times in 19 appearances.