When you think of the greatest sports films, very rarely do soccer (or football depending on which part of the world you live in) movies immediately spring to mind, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. With the European Championship and the Copa del Rey having kicked off last week, there’s no better time than now to delve into some of the greatest soccer flicks from around the globe. So get on the field and defend your goal, because today we’re talking about the best soccer movies of all time!
- The Goal! Trilogy (2005/2007/2009)
The Goal! Trilogy is not just the only film trilogy about soccer, but also includes the “greatest football film of all time,” or so the tagline reads. The first film, subtitled The Dream Begins in the US, was directed by CSI legend Danny Cannon and, at the time, was the largest collaboration between a corporate brand (in this case, Adidas) and a film production. The film follows the burgeoning career of Mexican-born American Santiago Muñez (Kuno Becker) as he arrives in England ready to pursue his football dream. Blessed with talent but hiding a secret that threatens to destroy his career, Muñez must learn to play the English style while battling his own demons. Picked up by Newcastle United, Muñez finally gets the opportunity to kick start his career, living out his childhood dream. Muñez’s story is powerful as his loyalties to friends and family are rigorously tested during the flick. The sequel finds Muñez playing for Real Madrid, one of the biggest football clubs in the world. Dealing with the pressure of being a famous soccer player, Muñez must make some tough decisions about what he wants out of life. The third (and worst) film takes place at the World Cup and focuses on two English players, with Muñez being relegated to a supporting role. The Goal! films are powerful and littered with more football cameos than a Marvel flick has to offer and certainly worth a movie marathon. 2. The Football Factory (2004)
Loosely based on the John King novel of the same name and produced by Rockstar Games (of Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption fame) in their first venture into feature filmmaking, The Football Factory is an insane ride about football fan culture. Written and directed by Nick Love (The Sweeney), the film follows Tommy Johnson (Danny Dyer), a bored Chelsea football fan who lives for the weekend matches. As Tommy continues living his football-obsessed life, violence, sex, drugs, and alcohol become the norm as he’s plagued by a recurring nightmare. If you thought soccer was all about the thrill of the game, The Football Factory will make you think again. Between the film’s eclectic cast of characters to the thematic material itself, this movie is one of the most interesting soccer films you’ll ever see. 3. Escape To Victory (1981)
This American-British-Italian collaboration is an absolute classic. Escape to Victory (often stylized as just Victory) stars the “Italian Stallion” himself, Sylvester Stallone (Rocky), alongside Sir Michael Caine (The Prestige), in this sports-war drama that is truly one-of-a-kind. Technically a remake of the Hungarian film Two Half Times in Hell, the film is about Allied prisoners of war, interned in a German prison camp, who play an exhibition football match against a German team. The next time your grandfather wants to watch a World War II movie, you’ll have to recommend this. Besides Stallone and Caine (who are the real draws here), the film starred nearly eight other professional footballers, including former Brazillian footballer Pelé as Corporal Luis Fernandez. 4. Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
If you were a kid who grew up in the early 21st century, you’ve probably seen Bend It Like Beckham, or you’ve at least heard of it. This rom-com sports drama is known for being hilariously accurate. Set in London, the film is about the 18-year-old daughter of British-Indian Sikhs who just wants to play soccer, but because she’s a girl, her parents have forbidden her to play. It takes time, but she eventually gets good enough to go to America and… Well, let’s not spoil it. Directed by Gurinder Chada (Blinded by the Light) and starring Parminder Nagra (ER), Kiera Knightly (Pirates of the Caribbean), and Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Vikings), Bend It Like Beckham is a true gem, and unlike Like Mike, the sports hero upon which the title is based actually appears in this one. 5. Mean Machine (2001)
An adaptation of the American film The Longest Yard, which is about American football (NFL type stuff), Mean Machine changes the sport to soccer. After former footballer Danny “The Mean Machine” Meehan (Vinnie Jones) is jailed for assault, he leads a group of inmates in a match against the prison guards who’ve been harassing them. Prison aside, Mean Machine is a good time and reunites many of the cast from executive producer Guy Ritchie films Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, including Jason Flemyng, Vas Blackwood, and international action star Jason Statham (The Transporter). Between Jones’ charm and the absurdity of the situation, it’s easy to see why Mean Machine is so well-liked by movie fans.
See more about - The 10 Best Football Movies Of All Time
- The Damned United (2009)
Following the controversial story of Brian Clough, played here by Michael Sheen (Underworld), and his 44-day reign as the head coach of the English football club Leeds United, director Tom Hooper delivers one of his best. Don’t know who Tom Hooper is? Well, he would go on to direct even more critically acclaimed pictures including Les Miserables and The King’s Speech. But back to the film… One of the film’s strongest components is its take on the universal themes of jealousy, success, and, ultimately, betrayal. It’s these ideas that keep the audience glued in and ready to see what could possibly happen next. To this day, The Damned United remains a sleek, stylish, and fascinating look at Clough’s brief tenure at Leeds United, proving just why he’s one of the “greatest managers the England team never had.” 7. Green Street (2005)
Green Street, more commonly known as Green Street Hooligans, is a Lexi Alexander (Punisher: War Zone) film starring Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood alongside Sons of Anarchy legend Charlie Hunnam. The film focuses on football hooliganism in the United Kingdom and before you laugh that off, here’s an entire Wikipedia page on the subject. It’s real people. Wood plays Matt, the American everyman who is visiting his sister and her family in London after being kicked out of Harvard for possessing cocaine that wasn’t his. Hunnam is Pete, a school teacher and the leader of the Green Street Elite, who introduces Matt to football and the violence that comes with it. The film launched two bad direct-to-video sequels, but the original still holds up as one of the greatest football films of all time. 8. Mike Bassett: England Manager (2001)
If satirical mockumentaries like the British version of The Office are more your thing, then Mike Bassett: England Manager is for you. Ricky Tomlinson (The Brothers Grimsby) plays manager Mike Bassett (if that wasn’t clear) who, after the old England manager has a heart attack, is promoted and announces that they’re going to win the World Cup. Hilarity quickly ensues. Of course, if you’re looking for a film that takes place primarily on the field, this isn’t the one for you. Mike Bassett mostly takes place in boardrooms and in press conferences, but the football intensity is real. They even made a television series based on the film a few years later. Plus, there are some great cameos from your favorite footballing legends (including the return of Pelé!). 9. Kicking And Screaming (2005)
Maybe you’re not into British humor, that’s okay, we’ve got an American comedy too. Will Ferrell (Step-Brothers) and Robert Duvall (The Judge) star in Kicking and Screaming, which is definitely one of the funniest soccer comedies out there. Ferrell and Duvall play Phil and Buck Weston, both soccer coaches; Buck is Phil’s estranged father who belittles him any chance he can get, and Phil has finally had enough. As Phil’s Tigers face off against Buck’s Gladiators, the insanity only grows until there’s an eventual collision. Oh, and did we mention Mike Ditka is Phil’s assistant coach? If we didn’t, don’t worry, the movie will only mention it a few dozen times… 10. Fever Pitch (1997)
Colin Firth (Kingsman: The Secret Service) stars as the fictional Phil Ashworth in Fever Pitch, which itself is loosely based on Nick Hornby’s best-selling memoir Fever Pitch: A Fan’s Life. The film’s tagline reads, “life gets complicated when you love one woman and worship eleven men,” and if that doesn’t pique your interest then nothing will! The film speaks to the experience of many single and married men worldwide as Phil’s romantic life begins to clash with his sports obsession, in this case, his love for his favorite football team, Arsenal. The film is smart, funny, and sometimes brutally honest about sports obsession worldwide.
See more about - The 10 Best Baseball Movies Of All Time
When you think of the greatest sports films, very rarely do soccer (or football depending on which part of the world you live in) movies immediately spring to mind, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. With the European Championship and the Copa del Rey having kicked off last week, there’s no better time than now to delve into some of the greatest soccer flicks from around the globe. So get on the field and defend your goal, because today we’re talking about the best soccer movies of all time!
- The Goal! Trilogy (2005/2007/2009)
The Goal! Trilogy is not just the only film trilogy about soccer, but also includes the “greatest football film of all time,” or so the tagline reads. The first film, subtitled The Dream Begins in the US, was directed by CSI legend Danny Cannon and, at the time, was the largest collaboration between a corporate brand (in this case, Adidas) and a film production. The film follows the burgeoning career of Mexican-born American Santiago Muñez (Kuno Becker) as he arrives in England ready to pursue his football dream. Blessed with talent but hiding a secret that threatens to destroy his career, Muñez must learn to play the English style while battling his own demons. Picked up by Newcastle United, Muñez finally gets the opportunity to kick start his career, living out his childhood dream. Muñez’s story is powerful as his loyalties to friends and family are rigorously tested during the flick. The sequel finds Muñez playing for Real Madrid, one of the biggest football clubs in the world. Dealing with the pressure of being a famous soccer player, Muñez must make some tough decisions about what he wants out of life. The third (and worst) film takes place at the World Cup and focuses on two English players, with Muñez being relegated to a supporting role. The Goal! films are powerful and littered with more football cameos than a Marvel flick has to offer and certainly worth a movie marathon. 2. The Football Factory (2004)
Loosely based on the John King novel of the same name and produced by Rockstar Games (of Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption fame) in their first venture into feature filmmaking, The Football Factory is an insane ride about football fan culture. Written and directed by Nick Love (The Sweeney), the film follows Tommy Johnson (Danny Dyer), a bored Chelsea football fan who lives for the weekend matches. As Tommy continues living his football-obsessed life, violence, sex, drugs, and alcohol become the norm as he’s plagued by a recurring nightmare. If you thought soccer was all about the thrill of the game, The Football Factory will make you think again. Between the film’s eclectic cast of characters to the thematic material itself, this movie is one of the most interesting soccer films you’ll ever see. 3. Escape To Victory (1981)
This American-British-Italian collaboration is an absolute classic. Escape to Victory (often stylized as just Victory) stars the “Italian Stallion” himself, Sylvester Stallone (Rocky), alongside Sir Michael Caine (The Prestige), in this sports-war drama that is truly one-of-a-kind. Technically a remake of the Hungarian film Two Half Times in Hell, the film is about Allied prisoners of war, interned in a German prison camp, who play an exhibition football match against a German team. The next time your grandfather wants to watch a World War II movie, you’ll have to recommend this. Besides Stallone and Caine (who are the real draws here), the film starred nearly eight other professional footballers, including former Brazillian footballer Pelé as Corporal Luis Fernandez. 4. Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
If you were a kid who grew up in the early 21st century, you’ve probably seen Bend It Like Beckham, or you’ve at least heard of it. This rom-com sports drama is known for being hilariously accurate. Set in London, the film is about the 18-year-old daughter of British-Indian Sikhs who just wants to play soccer, but because she’s a girl, her parents have forbidden her to play. It takes time, but she eventually gets good enough to go to America and… Well, let’s not spoil it. Directed by Gurinder Chada (Blinded by the Light) and starring Parminder Nagra (ER), Kiera Knightly (Pirates of the Caribbean), and Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Vikings), Bend It Like Beckham is a true gem, and unlike Like Mike, the sports hero upon which the title is based actually appears in this one. 5. Mean Machine (2001)
An adaptation of the American film The Longest Yard, which is about American football (NFL type stuff), Mean Machine changes the sport to soccer. After former footballer Danny “The Mean Machine” Meehan (Vinnie Jones) is jailed for assault, he leads a group of inmates in a match against the prison guards who’ve been harassing them. Prison aside, Mean Machine is a good time and reunites many of the cast from executive producer Guy Ritchie films Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, including Jason Flemyng, Vas Blackwood, and international action star Jason Statham (The Transporter). Between Jones’ charm and the absurdity of the situation, it’s easy to see why Mean Machine is so well-liked by movie fans.
See more about - The 10 Best Football Movies Of All Time
- The Damned United (2009)
Following the controversial story of Brian Clough, played here by Michael Sheen (Underworld), and his 44-day reign as the head coach of the English football club Leeds United, director Tom Hooper delivers one of his best. Don’t know who Tom Hooper is? Well, he would go on to direct even more critically acclaimed pictures including Les Miserables and The King’s Speech. But back to the film… One of the film’s strongest components is its take on the universal themes of jealousy, success, and, ultimately, betrayal. It’s these ideas that keep the audience glued in and ready to see what could possibly happen next. To this day, The Damned United remains a sleek, stylish, and fascinating look at Clough’s brief tenure at Leeds United, proving just why he’s one of the “greatest managers the England team never had.” 7. Green Street (2005)
Green Street, more commonly known as Green Street Hooligans, is a Lexi Alexander (Punisher: War Zone) film starring Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood alongside Sons of Anarchy legend Charlie Hunnam. The film focuses on football hooliganism in the United Kingdom and before you laugh that off, here’s an entire Wikipedia page on the subject. It’s real people. Wood plays Matt, the American everyman who is visiting his sister and her family in London after being kicked out of Harvard for possessing cocaine that wasn’t his. Hunnam is Pete, a school teacher and the leader of the Green Street Elite, who introduces Matt to football and the violence that comes with it. The film launched two bad direct-to-video sequels, but the original still holds up as one of the greatest football films of all time. 8. Mike Bassett: England Manager (2001)
If satirical mockumentaries like the British version of The Office are more your thing, then Mike Bassett: England Manager is for you. Ricky Tomlinson (The Brothers Grimsby) plays manager Mike Bassett (if that wasn’t clear) who, after the old England manager has a heart attack, is promoted and announces that they’re going to win the World Cup. Hilarity quickly ensues. Of course, if you’re looking for a film that takes place primarily on the field, this isn’t the one for you. Mike Bassett mostly takes place in boardrooms and in press conferences, but the football intensity is real. They even made a television series based on the film a few years later. Plus, there are some great cameos from your favorite footballing legends (including the return of Pelé!). 9. Kicking And Screaming (2005)
Maybe you’re not into British humor, that’s okay, we’ve got an American comedy too. Will Ferrell (Step-Brothers) and Robert Duvall (The Judge) star in Kicking and Screaming, which is definitely one of the funniest soccer comedies out there. Ferrell and Duvall play Phil and Buck Weston, both soccer coaches; Buck is Phil’s estranged father who belittles him any chance he can get, and Phil has finally had enough. As Phil’s Tigers face off against Buck’s Gladiators, the insanity only grows until there’s an eventual collision. Oh, and did we mention Mike Ditka is Phil’s assistant coach? If we didn’t, don’t worry, the movie will only mention it a few dozen times… 10. Fever Pitch (1997)
Colin Firth (Kingsman: The Secret Service) stars as the fictional Phil Ashworth in Fever Pitch, which itself is loosely based on Nick Hornby’s best-selling memoir Fever Pitch: A Fan’s Life. The film’s tagline reads, “life gets complicated when you love one woman and worship eleven men,” and if that doesn’t pique your interest then nothing will! The film speaks to the experience of many single and married men worldwide as Phil’s romantic life begins to clash with his sports obsession, in this case, his love for his favorite football team, Arsenal. The film is smart, funny, and sometimes brutally honest about sports obsession worldwide.
See more about - The 10 Best Baseball Movies Of All Time
When you think of the greatest sports films, very rarely do soccer (or football depending on which part of the world you live in) movies immediately spring to mind, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. With the European Championship and the Copa del Rey having kicked off last week, there’s no better time than now to delve into some of the greatest soccer flicks from around the globe.
So get on the field and defend your goal, because today we’re talking about the best soccer movies of all time!
1. The Goal! Trilogy (2005/2007/2009)
The Goal! Trilogy is not just the only film trilogy about soccer, but also includes the “greatest football film of all time,” or so the tagline reads. The first film, subtitled The Dream Begins in the US, was directed by CSI legend Danny Cannon and, at the time, was the largest collaboration between a corporate brand (in this case, Adidas) and a film production.
The film follows the burgeoning career of Mexican-born American Santiago Muñez (Kuno Becker) as he arrives in England ready to pursue his football dream. Blessed with talent but hiding a secret that threatens to destroy his career, Muñez must learn to play the English style while battling his own demons. Picked up by Newcastle United, Muñez finally gets the opportunity to kick start his career, living out his childhood dream. Muñez’s story is powerful as his loyalties to friends and family are rigorously tested during the flick.
The sequel finds Muñez playing for Real Madrid, one of the biggest football clubs in the world. Dealing with the pressure of being a famous soccer player, Muñez must make some tough decisions about what he wants out of life. The third (and worst) film takes place at the World Cup and focuses on two English players, with Muñez being relegated to a supporting role. The Goal! films are powerful and littered with more football cameos than a Marvel flick has to offer and certainly worth a movie marathon.
2. The Football Factory (2004)
Loosely based on the John King novel of the same name and produced by Rockstar Games (of Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption fame) in their first venture into feature filmmaking, The Football Factory is an insane ride about football fan culture. Written and directed by Nick Love (The Sweeney), the film follows Tommy Johnson (Danny Dyer), a bored Chelsea football fan who lives for the weekend matches.
As Tommy continues living his football-obsessed life, violence, sex, drugs, and alcohol become the norm as he’s plagued by a recurring nightmare. If you thought soccer was all about the thrill of the game, The Football Factory will make you think again. Between the film’s eclectic cast of characters to the thematic material itself, this movie is one of the most interesting soccer films you’ll ever see.
3. Escape To Victory (1981)
This American-British-Italian collaboration is an absolute classic. Escape to Victory (often stylized as just Victory) stars the “Italian Stallion” himself, Sylvester Stallone (Rocky), alongside Sir Michael Caine (The Prestige), in this sports-war drama that is truly one-of-a-kind. Technically a remake of the Hungarian film Two Half Times in Hell, the film is about Allied prisoners of war, interned in a German prison camp, who play an exhibition football match against a German team.
The next time your grandfather wants to watch a World War II movie, you’ll have to recommend this. Besides Stallone and Caine (who are the real draws here), the film starred nearly eight other professional footballers, including former Brazillian footballer Pelé as Corporal Luis Fernandez.
4. Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
If you were a kid who grew up in the early 21st century, you’ve probably seen Bend It Like Beckham, or you’ve at least heard of it. This rom-com sports drama is known for being hilariously accurate. Set in London, the film is about the 18-year-old daughter of British-Indian Sikhs who just wants to play soccer, but because she’s a girl, her parents have forbidden her to play. It takes time, but she eventually gets good enough to go to America and… Well, let’s not spoil it.
Directed by Gurinder Chada (Blinded by the Light) and starring Parminder Nagra (ER), Kiera Knightly (Pirates of the Caribbean), and Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Vikings), Bend It Like Beckham is a true gem, and unlike Like Mike, the sports hero upon which the title is based actually appears in this one.
5. Mean Machine (2001)
An adaptation of the American film The Longest Yard, which is about American football (NFL type stuff), Mean Machine changes the sport to soccer. After former footballer Danny “The Mean Machine” Meehan (Vinnie Jones) is jailed for assault, he leads a group of inmates in a match against the prison guards who’ve been harassing them.
Prison aside, Mean Machine is a good time and reunites many of the cast from executive producer Guy Ritchie films Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, including Jason Flemyng, Vas Blackwood, and international action star Jason Statham (The Transporter). Between Jones’ charm and the absurdity of the situation, it’s easy to see why Mean Machine is so well-liked by movie fans.
See more about - The 10 Best Football Movies Of All Time
6. The Damned United (2009)
See more about - The 10 Best Football Movies Of All Time
Following the controversial story of Brian Clough, played here by Michael Sheen (Underworld), and his 44-day reign as the head coach of the English football club Leeds United, director Tom Hooper delivers one of his best. Don’t know who Tom Hooper is? Well, he would go on to direct even more critically acclaimed pictures including Les Miserables and The King’s Speech.
But back to the film… One of the film’s strongest components is its take on the universal themes of jealousy, success, and, ultimately, betrayal. It’s these ideas that keep the audience glued in and ready to see what could possibly happen next. To this day, The Damned United remains a sleek, stylish, and fascinating look at Clough’s brief tenure at Leeds United, proving just why he’s one of the “greatest managers the England team never had.”
7. Green Street (2005)
Green Street, more commonly known as Green Street Hooligans, is a Lexi Alexander (Punisher: War Zone) film starring Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood alongside Sons of Anarchy legend Charlie Hunnam. The film focuses on football hooliganism in the United Kingdom and before you laugh that off, here’s an entire Wikipedia page on the subject. It’s real people.
Wood plays Matt, the American everyman who is visiting his sister and her family in London after being kicked out of Harvard for possessing cocaine that wasn’t his. Hunnam is Pete, a school teacher and the leader of the Green Street Elite, who introduces Matt to football and the violence that comes with it. The film launched two bad direct-to-video sequels, but the original still holds up as one of the greatest football films of all time.
8. Mike Bassett: England Manager (2001)
If satirical mockumentaries like the British version of The Office are more your thing, then Mike Bassett: England Manager is for you. Ricky Tomlinson (The Brothers Grimsby) plays manager Mike Bassett (if that wasn’t clear) who, after the old England manager has a heart attack, is promoted and announces that they’re going to win the World Cup. Hilarity quickly ensues.
Of course, if you’re looking for a film that takes place primarily on the field, this isn’t the one for you. Mike Bassett mostly takes place in boardrooms and in press conferences, but the football intensity is real. They even made a television series based on the film a few years later. Plus, there are some great cameos from your favorite footballing legends (including the return of Pelé!).
9. Kicking And Screaming (2005)
Maybe you’re not into British humor, that’s okay, we’ve got an American comedy too. Will Ferrell (Step-Brothers) and Robert Duvall (The Judge) star in Kicking and Screaming, which is definitely one of the funniest soccer comedies out there. Ferrell and Duvall play Phil and Buck Weston, both soccer coaches; Buck is Phil’s estranged father who belittles him any chance he can get, and Phil has finally had enough.
As Phil’s Tigers face off against Buck’s Gladiators, the insanity only grows until there’s an eventual collision. Oh, and did we mention Mike Ditka is Phil’s assistant coach? If we didn’t, don’t worry, the movie will only mention it a few dozen times…
10. Fever Pitch (1997)
Colin Firth (Kingsman: The Secret Service) stars as the fictional Phil Ashworth in Fever Pitch, which itself is loosely based on Nick Hornby’s best-selling memoir Fever Pitch: A Fan’s Life. The film’s tagline reads, “life gets complicated when you love one woman and worship eleven men,” and if that doesn’t pique your interest then nothing will!
The film speaks to the experience of many single and married men worldwide as Phil’s romantic life begins to clash with his sports obsession, in this case, his love for his favorite football team, Arsenal. The film is smart, funny, and sometimes brutally honest about sports obsession worldwide.
See more about - The 10 Best Baseball Movies Of All Time
See more about - The 10 Best Baseball Movies Of All Time
