10 Best Football Documentaries Of All Time

3. Next Goal Wins

Next Goal Wins
Icon Productions

In the same vein as The Other Final, Next Goal Wins also shows the opposite face to football's glitz and glamour, following American Samoa on their quest to shake off the tag of worst team in the world.

The Polynesian side earned that ignoble epithet in 2001, after an infamous 31-0 defeat to Australia - the worst loss in the history of international football. Looking to use embarrassment as inspiration, American Samoa turn to Dutch coach Thomas Rongen, and ambitiously set their sights on making the 2014 World Cup.

Mike Brett and Steve Jamison's film is not a Hollywood underdog story: American Samoa, unsurprisingly, don't qualify - not even close. But they do win a lot of admirers with their effort, humility, and love for the game. Taika Waititi is currently adapting the documentary for the big screen, with Michael Fassbender starring as coach Rongen.

Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.