It should come as no surprise that filmmakers have tried for years to capture the essence of soccer (football in Great Britain and elsewhere, in a diversity of languages): it’s the world’s most popular sport,  watched by billions of people. Imagine it on celluloid (or digital).

The results, however, have been quite mixed. For every classic soccer movie, there are many more that are too maudlin, clichéd, or simply fail to convey why soccer means so much to so many people.

From established legends like Pelé and Maradona to one-name stars like Ronaldo and Messi, soccer (or football) is truly the most popular sport due to its global appeal.

In Portuguese, they call it “jogo bonito” (a beautiful game) for a good reason: its symmetrical fundamentals are watched by millions of people every week around the world. The audience for the 2018 World Cup final was 3.57 billion viewers. Yes, that’s right; half of the entire world’s population watched a single sporting event.

Therefore, it would stand to reason that when looking at the sports movie genre itself, this great sport should be king. However, despite the worldwide appeal of this sport, it is possible to say those good soccer movies are very rare.

 

 

Personalities like Diego Maradona have their own films on the sport. With the documentary Maradona (2019), there was a perfect cinematographic marriage. The volatile Argentine soccer legend opened up about his life to the equally unpredictable Serbian director Emir Kusturica, who followed the golden boy around Buenos Aires in the gripping documentary.

The director could be accused of getting too close to his subject matter; the understanding between the two temperamental artists is sometimes disturbing as Kusturica willingly glosses over the less savory details of Maradona’s life in favor of showing the myth.

However, Maradona redeems itself with some truly brilliant scenes. An interview with Maradona inside one of Buenos Aires’ best-known cabarets, surrounded by half-naked dancers, is a highlight.

So is the filming of the wedding between two members of the “Church of Maradona” (Iglesia Maradoniana, created by his rabid fans) in the middle of the field of the Argentine team Boca Juniors, which culminates with the bride grabbing a soccer ball and throwing it to a crowd of guests.

 

 

As for Victory (1981) – what can be said about a film set in a Nazi POW camp, starring ball genius Pelé and Golden Globe winners Michael Caine and Sylvester Stallone? It may not be the most polished movie to ever hit the big screen but Victory provides plenty of fun for those willing to suspend their disbelief for a bit.

Caine plays a British prisoner of war, a former professional footballer, who is forced to stage an exhibition match against the guards, a game that quickly becomes a publicity stunt for the German authorities.

This film serves as a direct inspiration for Mean Machine (2001) where the prisoner-of-war camp setting is changed for a modern but gloomy British prison in the vehicle for English actor Vinnie Jones.

 

 

Within British cinema, The Damned United (2009) features legendary English coach Brian Clough, remembered almost as much for his volatile and eccentric temperament as for his brilliance off the bench.

The Damned United tries to capture both sides of the late Nottingham Forest and Derby County coach by focusing on one of the darker periods of Clough’s career. It is about the 44 days Clough spent as manager of Leeds United in 1974, a time that has gone down as one of the most infamous and controversial in football history.

The new manager’s methods and abrasive personality made him an unpopular figure with the players and fans at Elland Road, leading to an almost open war in the dressing room before he was sacked after little more than a month in office as a coach.

Michael Sheen demonstrates his strength in the lead role, exposing both Clough’s insecurities and swagger as he battled against the grain in his new club while keeping his human side intact. Others weren’t so happy: soccer player Dave Mackay sued the producers for what he considered an inaccurate portrayal in the film.

 

 

Bend it Like Beckham (nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy in 2004) introduced us to Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley as a pair of best friends trying to prove that girls have a place in the beautiful game. The film’s title, of course, is inspired by David Beckham, owner and president of soccer operations for Inter Miami CF.

Crossing the pond, cinema landed a chilling story with The Two Escobars (2010). The documentary masterfully traced the unfortunate lines connecting notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar to his namesake, beloved Colombian defender Andrés Escobar. The latter was shot dead in the street ten days after scoring an own goal in Colombia’s team at the 1994 FIFA World Cup loss to the United States, contributing to the tournament favorites not making it to the playoffs.

From Venezuela, the film Brother (2010) tells the tense and dramatic story of two brothers with different personalities who struggled to overcome crime, violence, and tragedy in their Caracas neighborhood in order to get professional contracts as players.

A more relaxed take on the same subject is Shaolin Soccer (2001), a live-action, anime-style comedy that enamored critics and fans alike with its zany and entertaining charm.

 

 

Perhaps the best-known film on football, thanks to a good marketing strategy and its quality, is the trilogy of films titled Goal! (2005, 2007, and 2008). This 300-minute marathon could well be called “Soccer’s Lord of the Rings.”

Over the course of three films, Goal! traces the story of Santiago Muñiz (Kuno Becker), a Mexican immigrant who lives in Los Angeles and works as a gardener but dreams of making the most of his talents on the field.

His dreams come true when he lands a trial with Newcastle United. As he battles the rain and cold of the northeast of Britain, Muñiz makes a name for himself in his adopted country. There are plenty of slow-motion moments and plenty of last-minute agonizing goals until Muñiz gets Newcastle through to the Champions League, and proves his worth.

In the following films, there is his signing for Real Madrid, an appearance in the final phase of the World Cup, and, as the title suggests, there is no shortage of goals. The trilogy didn’t make the critics’ lists but its worldwide gross of more than $35 million from the first two films alone is proof that football or soccer can draw audiences.

 

Translated by Mario Amaya