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Football is arguably the most popular sport in the world. Therefore, it isn’t surprising that many films have been made about the sport. Some have been documentaries, some are wholly fictitious while others are based on real-life events. Not all movies that have been madeon football have been well-received, however.
Let’s take a look at 5 of the best films that are about the beautiful game:
1) Goal: The Dream Begins – The first (and by some distance, the best) movie of the Goal trilogy follows the trials and tribulations of the talented yet poor Santiago Munez, an illegal Mexican immigrant living in the United States. An ex-Newcastle player sees him play for a local team and manages to get him a trial for the side. He faces plenty of difficulties along the way (including how to get to England along with the disapproval of his father) but manages to make it into the first team and eventually plays a pivotal role in the club qualifying for the Champions League that season.
Escape To Victory
2) Escape To Victory – Probably the most popular movie on football, Escape To Victory has a star-studded cast that includes Michael Caine, Sylvester Stallone and the great Pele. The film revolves around an exhibition football match to be held between POW’s and the guards of the prison. In the match, the POW’s manage to come back from 3 goals down to earn a draw in an exciting game and then use the resulting chaos that ensues after the match to escape. The best moment of the entire film is undoubtedly Stallone’s penalty save towards the end of the match.
Mean Machine
3) Mean Machine – The movie follows the plot of the old American film The Longest Yard but replaces American football with football. Starring Vinnie Jones and Jason Statham (who plays the goalkeeper), the film follows the fall from grace of Jones, a former England captain. He is arrested after an assault on a police officer and while in jail, is chosen to coach a team of inmates who will take on a team of guards. He then coaches the inmates (but not without encountering a few problems along the way) and they eventually go on to win the match against the guards.
The Damned United
4) The Damned United – The Michael Sheen-starrer tells the real-life story of one of the most infamous and shortest managerial spells in football history. Sheen plays the role of Brian Clough, a brilliant yet eccentric manager. Clough is a big critic of Leeds United’s rough style of play and he ends up becoming their manager. His unpopularity with the Elland Road faithful coupleld with his personality and mehods leads to his players turning on him. Clough is eventually from the job after a mere 44 days in charge, bringing an end to a shaky spell.
Green Street
5) Green Street - Green Street is an independent British film that focuses on the not-so-pretty side of English football: hooliganism. Matt Buckner, an American journalism major who is expelled from Harvard University after cocaine is discovered in his room. He flies to London to live with his sister and brother-in-law when he meets his brother-in-laws brother who runs a football hooligan firm. He eventually falls in with the group of hooligans and the film follows his transformation from a shy young man to someone who can stand up for himself.
