Soccer has become a popular sport in almost every country on the planet. This is the spot to go if you’re looking for the best soccer movies. The 12 best soccer movies are discussed in this article. You’ll also learn about each film’s plot, purpose, and conclusion. You can prefer any movie from the given list if you want to watch it.
Depending on your preferences, there are a variety of soccer films to choose from. Each soccer movie gives a life lesson.
Due to lack of clarity, popularity, and various other issues, certain films are not well-known. On the other hand, several soccer movies are pretty popular around the world and will teach you a valuable lesson.
Therefore, here we’ve compiled a list of the top 12 soccer movies. After that, the article will go into each of the 12 films, in brief, explaining why it is the best among the rest.
Top 12 Must See Soccer Movies
The list of movies mentioned below is assembled based on popularity, content, and the overall message from the movie. Most of these are compiled in reference to fiction horizon, Soccer prime, and ONE37pm.
Further, before jumping into the details about the 12 best soccer movies, let us quickly view the names present in the list. Also, some of the movies are available on Amazon Prime Video. You can get the link down below!
| Rank | Movie Name |
| 12. | Offside |
| 11. | The Game of their lives |
| 10. | There is only one Jimmy Grimble |
| 9. | Fever Pitch |
| 8. | Mike Bassett: England Manager |
| 7. | The Damned United |
| 6. | Looking for Eric |
| 5. | Mean Machine |
| 4. | Green Streets |
| 3. | Escape to victory |
| 2. | The Football Factory |
| 1. | Bend it like Beckham |
1. Bend it like Beckham
The very hyped movie, Bend It Like Beckham is about far more than soccer, yet it exploits the sport as its driving force and principal storyteller, as are many of the films on this list.
The title is, of course, a tribute to David Beckham, the legend. Essentially, it’s about a British Indian girl who loves soccer but is prevented from playing it by her family because it’s seen as a man’s sport.
She keeps playing and gets recruited to play for a local women’s team, and the rest is history. In addition to gender stereotypes, sexuality and cultural traditions are discussed.
This movie is a typical “Breaking the stereotype” movie and a must-watch among the best soccer movies.
2. The Football Factory
Football Factory is yet another film that focuses on soccer fanatics and how extreme things can get. Tommy, Bill, Billy Bright, and Zeberdee are four men from the working class who star in the film.
Danny Dyer portrays a typical hooligan, who drinks regularly, dabbles in drugs, is overly aggressive, and encounters a lot of racism on the street.
Of course, it would be difficult to relate with him if he remained like way throughout the film. Furthermore, he eventually comes to his senses and realizes that he wants to leave that life behind, and the film follows his journey.
This is the most unadulterated depiction of hooliganism ever seen on the big screen.
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3. Escape to Victory
Everything a soccer fan wants to see among the best soccer movies is “Escape to Victory.”
Escape to Victory, directed by the renowned John Huston and released in 1981, is one of the oldest films on our list. It features an all-star cast, including acting superstars Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, and great soccer Pelé and Bobby Moore.
This is a war film as much as it is a soccer film. During WWII, people imprisoned in a Nazi prison camp were forced to play soccer against the guards.
The allied squad ultimately uses it to plot their escape.
4. Green Streets
Green Street, also known as Green Street Hooligans, stars Elijah Wood as Matt. Matt is forced to move to England to live with his sister after being wrongly dismissed from Harvard University.
When her spouse is first introduced to her, he is also introduced to the world of soccer, notably soccer hooliganism. He picks up a lot from the culture, as vicious as it is, and it also helps him pick up on himself.
The film is about his discovery of it and his subsequent enlightenment, and it is a fantastic portrayal of hooliganism from various views.
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5. Mean Machine
Mean Machine is a refined remake of the 1974 film, The Longest Yard, so you should definitely watch this out if you liked that movie.
Vinnie Jones plays Danny Meehan, the former captain of the England national soccer team who was banned from the game for match-fixing, in this 2001 remake.
As a result of his assault on two police officers, he is sentenced to prison, where he is then forced to coach a team of inmates in a soccer match against the guards. Danny Dyer, Jason Statham, and others make cameo appearances.
6. Looking for Eric
Eric Bishop, the protagonist in Looking For Eric, is in a situation that many of us have encountered at a particular point in our lives: he is at a job he despises and is at odds with his ex-wife.
The plot gets weirder from here on out, so many similarities cease there. Eric’s kid tries to hide a pistol for a local drug lord, and which makes him suicidal.
However, after stealing and using some of his son’s cannabis, he hallucinates and sees his hero, soccer legend Eric Cantona. Cantona gives him guidance that helps him change his life positively.
The film is primarily concerned with soccer mania and the portrayal of soccer players as real people.
7. The Damned United
In the movie “The Damned United, “ Brian Clough was appointed manager of Leeds United in 1974. Brian was already unpopular among his fans, so it was a contentious decision. His management style is portrayed as a poor fit for the team, and he was fired after a tumultuous 44 days.
The Damned United is about that brief period, as well as soccer’s politics and inner workings.
It’s one of the best soccer movies ever made, and you don’t have to be a soccer fan or even know much about the sport to watch and appreciate it.
8. Mike Bassett: England Manager
Unlike the other films on this list, Mike Bassett: England Manager is a dark comedy directed by Steve Barron. When the previous England manager passes away from a heart attack, a search for a replacement begins.
Mike Bassett, the manager of a successful team from a lower division, is introduced. All hell breaks loose when he is supposed to guide them to the World Cup.
Mike picks two incorrect midfielders in Benson & Hedges based on the cigarette brand. The team’s leading player becomes infatuated with and distracted by a transsexual, and Mike mixes drugs and alcohol, resulting in a drunken incident.
The film is far from a realistic picture of soccer but amusing.
9. Fever Pitch
Fever Pitch film, starring Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore, was released in 2005 and revolved around baseball, but we have the original version from 1997 on our list.
This version is about Arsenal’s league title win in the 1988/1989 season, whereas the later version is about the Boston Red Sox winning the World Series.
Colin Firth’s character, a great Arsenal supporter, finds himself in a problematic situation attempting to balance his fanaticism with his new connection with a woman he loves.
10. There is only one Jimmy Grimble
There is Only One Jimmy Grimble is a moving film about a young Manchester child named Jimmy Grimble, whose ambition is to play soccer for his school’s team.
Because his father pays for his sport, one of his bullies makes the team. Things are looking bleak for Jimmy until he receives a pair of boots worn by one of his Manchester City idols.
Things begin to change for him after that. It’s a story about self-confidence and how influential athletes can be in unexpected places.
11. The Game of Their Lives
Released in 2005, The Game of Their Lives movie was directed by David Anspaugh. It tells the story of one of the proudest times in the history of American soccer: the first time the US national team beat England and in the World Cup no less.
It was a setback, a source of drive, and, of course, a terrific movie storyline. The film looks at the players who made up the team and their backstories, and it is a true underdog story.
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12. Offside
When compared to other soccer movies, Offside is a little different. A bunch of Iranian females wanted to see the World Cup qualification games in this film.
Offside (2006) tells the story of a group of soccer supporters who desire to see their local club Iran play Bahrain in a World Cup qualifier. Unfortunately, they are unable to enter the stadium due to their gender. Regardless, they gain access.
There are a few intriguing aspects to this film. The first is that it is not allowed to be screened in Iran.
Second, it was shot during an Iran qualifying match, with director Jafar Panahi planning two different endings depending on the Game’s outcome. Finally, the film’s theme was inspired by Panahi’s daughter, who opted to attend a game despite the regulations.
Conclusion
There are enough aspects of soccer that may be highlighted through film, and as a result, several truly excellent soccer movies have been made about the sport.
We hope to see more creations because who doesn’t love their favorite sport to be associated with cinematic drama?
