Andros – Male Lead 

 

Andros is a man to whom football is everything. He played professionally as a young man in Europe, but due to an injury early in his career he never achieved the heights he aspired to. Unqualified to do much else, he moved into coaching - but bitterness over his inability to continue playing professionally exacerbated his drinking problem, After a while he found himself jobless and hopeless. At his lowest ebb, he decided to fulfill a childhood dream and traveled to Brazil, where he was struck by not only the high standard of play and respect for the game, but by the warmth of the people he met. They welcomed and accepted him, and before long he was coaching the Santa Teresa team. Despite the job's low pay, it gives his life meaning and he is finally able to get his demons under control. He loves Rio, and has found love in the shape of the rotund but sexy "Mimi," who works at Nando’s hotel. He has had some tough breaks in his life, but now he is, on the whole, an optimistic and altruistic man who now sambas his way through life, trying to help those less fortunate than himself. But make no mistake- he is no wimp, and is a very plain-speaking no bullshit guy, He works hard for his team and is beloved by them. He expects them to work equally hard and is not afraid to unleash his temper on anybody who may fall short of the high standards he expects. After a rocky start, he feels a kinship with Neville, as their early lives have a somewhat similar narrative.  By the end of the film, the two men are very close, with Andros taking on something of a paternal role in his life.