Next Goal Wins is a funny, heartwarming and inspirational sports drama that perfectly captures the underdog spirit that we all love.
The movie is based on the true story of the American Samoa national football team, once considered the weakest team in the world after they suffered a record (and humiliating) 31-0 defeat against Australia in 2001.
Soon after this watershed moment, the focus turns to the team’s journey to redemption and self-discovery and we are introduced to Dutch-American coach Thomas Rongen, the man who breathes new life into the team.
Next Goal Wins involves much more than your typical sports movie formula and ends up being more a celebration of the human spirit than of sporting achievement. It will most certainly leave a lasting impression on you.
As for the crucial qualifying match featured at the end of the movie, you’ll do well to stay sitting down – even in a big comfy cinema seat!
Did you know?
Michael Fassbender, who plays Thomas Rongen in the movie, was born in Heidelberg, West Germany, to a German father and an Irish mother, but grew up in Killarney, in County Kerry, after moving there at the age of two.