FIFA World Cup 2026: Tom Cruise's Digger Rockwell pays tribute to football greats ahead of finale
Los Angeles, July 19
The makers of Tom Cruise's upcoming film 'Digger' have released a new promotional video featuring the actor in his character, Digger Rockwell, ahead of Cruise's appearance during the FIFA World Cup 2026 closing ceremony at the New York-New Jersey Stadium.
In the video shared on Sunday, Cruise appears as 'Digger Rockwell' and delivers a message referring to some of football's biggest names, including Pele, Diego Maradona, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
In the video, Cruise aka Digger Rockwell, says, "You want to know what separates a legend from everybody else? Well, it ain't luck. It ain't even speed. Yeah, it's control. The greats, Pele, Maradona, Cristiano, Messi... they don't hell chase the ball. The ball answers to them."
"For me, Digger. I play with a much, much bigger ball, and I don't play just to win, I play to dominate. Woo. Woo. See now we legends, we can make you believe just about anything. Even that gravity doesn't exist. Ain't that right, Maggie? Ole, ole, ole, ole, ole," he adds.
Take a look
According to the makers, Cruise will appear at the FIFA World Cup 2026 closing ceremony alongside Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, IShowSpeed and Jennifer Hudson.
Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alejandro G. Inarritu, Digger is a comedy that stars Cruise as Digger Rockwell, an oil baron whose company is linked to an environmental disaster that could lead to a global crisis.
The film also stars Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Huller, Michael Stuhlbarg and Jesse Plemons in key roles. Robert John Burke, Emma D'Arcy, Burn Gorman and Sophie Wilde are also part of the cast. The film is set to release in cinemas and IMAX on October 2, 2026.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Wait, Tom Cruise is going to be at the FIFA closing ceremony? That's huge for football fans in India! We know how to celebrate the beautiful game, and having a superstar like him alongside Robbie Williams and IShowSpeed... the energy will be insane. 🔥 Can't wait to see the messi mention too!
Honestly, this feels like a desperate marketing stunt. "Digger" looks like it could be a flop, so they're piggybacking on the World Cup hype. And the dialogue is quite cheesy—"play to dominate"? Reminds me of those old Indian action movie dialogues. Would rather watch a real footballer talk about the game than Tom Cruise pretending.
Wait, that "Ole, ole, ole" at the end was actually quite funny! 😂 For an Indian like me who grew up watching Pele and Maradona videos on YouTube, hearing a Hollywood star acknowledge them is special. Though I'm more excited about IShowSpeed—that guy is pure chaos! Hope he doesn't break anything on stage.
An environmental disaster comedy starring Tom Cruise? That's a bold move. The World Cup promo is fun, but the premise of "Digger" sounds like a satire on corporate greed—which, as an Indian, I find relatable given all the industrial accidents we see. Hope it's more than just Cruise showing off his grin.
They're really hyping up this movie with football legends. But honestly, the best part of the closing ceremony will be Nicole Scherzinger—brings back Pussycat Dolls nostalgia!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.