Washington DC, Jan. 28 -- Actor and producer Zoey Deutch has been roped in to play the lead role in 'The 99'ers', a true-life sports drama being developed by Netflix, the streaming platform announced. The film will be directed by Nicole Kassell, best known for her award-winning work on HBO's Watchmen, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Deutch will portray Marla Messing, a pioneering executive of U.S. women's soccer who played a key role in organising and overseeing the landmark 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. The tournament went on to set new benchmarks for attendance and television viewership and is widely regarded as a turning point for women's sports globally.

'The 99'ers' is adapted from journalist Jere Longman's book The Girls of Su...