Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed the 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup was his “last World Cup” before Portugal lost to eventual champion Spain in the Round of 16. Despite appearing in a record six World Cups, the Portugal captain and all-time men’s leading international goalscorer never came close to capturing an elusive World Cup trophy.
So, Ronaldo is setting his sights on winning an Emmy instead.
British tabloid The Sun was first to report Ronaldo, 41, as an executive producer and star of a forthcoming scripted drama series, Day 1s. Deadline subsequently reported the news.
“It’s likely to spark a bidding war between the streamers,” an unnamed TV insider told The Sun, later noting, “After the World Cup, there’s a renewed international interest, particularly in the States, in British football. It’s one that’s been growing for some time with shows like Ted Lasso. But this isn’t a sitcom. It’s definitely a drama, with some comedic elements, and has some serious names backing it.”
Matthew Vaughn is attached to direct. Emmy-winning actor Damian Lewis (Billions, Homeland) will star as Stanley Dalton, a soccer (football, in this context) agent. France and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry is also set to appear. Ronaldo and Vaughn co-founded and launched an independent film studio in April 2025.
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Ronaldo made history at the World Cup, but Henry had the far better performance. Alongside Rebecca Lowe, Alexi Lalas, and Ibrahimović, Henry shined on Fox Sports’ studio broadcast team. Whether it was ripping Ronaldo or lamenting Lalas’ existence, Henry was a magnetic force. Oftentimes, his analysis — or, dare I say, aura — cut through Lalas and Zlatan’s beef, real or perceived.
The nature of Henry and Ronaldo’s Day 1s roles are under wraps. Both icons possess charisma in excess, however, so it’ll at least be interesting to see how that translates to scripted TV.
A big-name cast does not guarantee a quality series, but the subject matter couldn’t be timelier. World Cup aside, Ted Lasso is returning for Season 4 next week — a season many viewers feel is unnecessary. It could make fans miss it even more when it’s gone. It could bomb.
Either way, Ronaldo, the world’s richest footballer, is doing what he does best: Capitalize.
About Megan Armstrong
Since first getting published as a student by the Kansas City Star in 2013, Megan Armstrong has gone wherever curiosity and stories have taken her, specializing in sports, media, music, and culture coverage. She also has an extensive background in interviewing and profiling public figures. Her work has appeared in Billboard, Boardroom, Bleacher Report, Esquire, GQ, GRAMMY.com, NYLON, Newsweek, Teen Vogue, The Hollywood Reporter, UPROXX, and elsewhere.