In 2001, American Samoa suffered a 31-0 defeat to Australia. By 2011 when Next Goal Wins was filmed, they were ranked the worst team in the world and hadn’t won a game in 17 years. This is the documentation of attempting to change that and reach the 2014 World Cup. To do this, they enlist the help of Dutch coach Thomas Rongen who has just 3 weeks to turn the team around and help them bag their elusive first victory.
Firstly, while I’m not a football philistine I am neither a huge lover or follower of the game. Thankfully, this follows in the footsteps of documentaries like Senna and Fire in Babylon where the storytelling is so well done with such engrossing subjects, a passion for the sport becomes irrelevant.
The first feature from film making duo Mike Brett and Steve Jamison, it is structurally what has become the classic style of documentary storytelling with not a lot of innovation and edited and scored more like a fictional narrative, which for such a classic underdog story is no bad thing. By the time they reach their qualifying matches, I was literally biting my nails, praying as much as they were for a win. This is a documentary with a positive bias, asking if not expecting you to side with the team, which isn’t all too hard.
This shows us a grass roots style of international football without the stadiums and huge salaries, where it is played for the love of the sport and not for the fame and fortune. As such, the team is filled with charming and passionate people who’s company is an absolute delight. It is refreshing to see such a passion for the sport on the pitch but, as is epitomised in transgender defender Jaiyah, instead of just being about the team or the sport, this film is more about the inclusiveness of sport and it’s importance as a positive force. It reminds us why it engrosses people and unifies communities in the first place.
Having said this, limiting the drive of the film to the sport alone is wrong. It is very much about American Samoan culture, how these people lead their lives and how that ties into their passion for football. It goes into their deeply held religious beliefs, tolerance and the generosity of spirit, and while it may take a Western touch to turn them around on the pitch, it is their culture that affects him and not the other way around.
A classic underdog story with as big a heart as its subjects and a great watch to get in the mood for this summer. While not deviating too much or doing anything new, it still has the quality of subject and craftsmanship to be an engaging sports documentary.
Next Goal Wins is released on DVD on 1st September
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