The 11 Best Soccer Movies of All Time

The world's most popular sport has plenty of movies about it. These are the best of the bunch.

Michael Sheen in "The Damned United." / IMAGO/ZUMA Press Wire

Given that soccer is the world's most popular sport, it's hardly surprising that there has been hundreds, if not thousands, of movies made about it over the years.

The results, to put it nicely, have been mixed.

Amid the tons of British hooligan dramas and mediocre player documentaries, however, there are some real gems, including impactful social dramas, insightful documentaries, and hilarious comedies.

Here are the 11 best of the bunch.

1. "Bend It Like Beckham" (2002)

Keira Knightley and Parminder Nagra in "Bend It Like Beckham." / IMAGO/Capital Pictures

Starring: Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Running time: 112 minutes

A film in many ways ahead of its time, 2002's "Bend It Like Beckham" tells the story of a Sikh girl and a tomboy who challenge parental expectations and social norms to pursue their passion for soccer.

Heart-warming and funny in equal measure, David Beckham himself even makes a cameo.

2. "Mean Machine" (2001)

Vinnie Jones plays Danny Meehan in "Mean Machine." / IMAGO/United Archives

Starring: Vinnie Jones, Jason Statham, Danny Dyer, David Kelly

Running time: 99 minutes

"Mean Machine" is a British remake of the classic American movie "The Longest Yard."

But instead of Burt Reynolds coaching a group of prisoners to play football against their guards, Vinnie Jones takes on the coaching role, and the inmates play soccer instead.

Jason Statham’s hilarious portrayal of a violent maximum-security inmate named "The Monk" alone makes this worth watching.

3. "Shaolin Soccer" (2001)

Stephen Chow in "Shaolin Soccer." / IMAGO/United Archives

Starring: Stephen Chow, Zhao Wei, Ng Man-tat

Running time: 112 minutes

Directed by and starring Stephen Chow, "Shaolin Soccer" tells the story of a former Shaolin monk and his brothers trying to honor the memory of their deceased master.

Naturally, they do this by harnessing the superhuman powers they gained from meditation to win a soccer tournament.

Absolutely bonkers? Perhaps. Worth a watch? Most definitely.

4. "The Two Escobars" (2010)

Andres Escobar scores an own goal at the 1994 World Cup. / IMAGO/Newscom

Starring: María Ester Escobar, Francisco Maturana, Alexis García V.

Running time: 104 minutes

After the 1994 World Cup, Colombian soccer star Andrés Escobar was murdered reportedly in retaliation for scoring an own goal which ultimately resulted in Colombia's elimination from the tournament.

2010's "The Two Escobars" sees filmmakers Jeff and Michael Zimbalist explore the connection between Andrés' death and his infamous namesake, Pablo Escobar, whose Medellín drug cartel controlled Colombia's cocaine trade at the time and wielded immense power over the nation's soccer scene.

5. "Green Street" (2005)

"Green Street" is considered a cult classic. / IMAGO/ZUMA Press Wire

Starring: Elijah Wood, Charlie Hunnam, Claire Forlani

Running time: 109 minutes

Shortly after finishing his journey around Middle-earth in search of an all-powerful golden ring, Elijah Wood decided to try his hand at playing an American student turned crazed soccer hooligan in 2005's "Green Street."

A tale of betrayal, new-found loyalty, and revenge, the movie also stars a young Charlie Hunnam, who would later go on to find fame as Jax Teller in "Sons of Anarchy."

6. "Kicking and Screaming" (2005)

Will Ferrell in "Kicking and Screaming." / IMAGO

Starring: Will Ferrell, Robert Duvall, Kate Walsh, Mike Ditka

Running time: 95 minutes

With its unique blend of humor, absurdity, and heartwarming undertones, 2005's "Kicking and Screaming" has all the hallmarks of a classic Will Ferrell movie.

The film follows Ferrell's character, Phil Weston, as he coaches his son's little-league soccer team in a bid to get back at his father, who coaches the district's most successful team and used to bench him as a child.

7. "Goal!" (2005)

Kuno Becker as Santiago Muñez in "Goal!" / IMAGO/ZUMA Press Wire

Starring: Kuno Becker, Alessandro Nivola, Stephen Dillane, Anna Friel

Running time: 118 minutes

It's a bit cheesy and undeniably cliché, but "Goal!", which depicts the unlikely rise of a Mexican immigrant to soccer stardom, is a guilty pleasure that's well worth a watch––even if only for some of the stiffest celebrity cameos you'll ever see in a movie.

"Goal II" and Goal III" though? Maybe pass on them.

8. "The Damned United" (2009)

Michael Sheen as Brian Clough in "The Damned United." / IMAGO/FAMOUS

Starring: Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall, Colm Meaney, Jim Broadbent

Running time: 97 minutes

"The Damned United" is a fictionalized account of Brian Clough's notoriously short stint as the head coach of Leeds United in 1974.

Michael Sheen plays the enigmatic Clough brilliantly, perfectly capturing the emotional toil of a soccer genius at his lowest point.

9. "Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait" (2006)

Zinedine Zidane against Villarreal in 2006. / IMAGO/ABACAPRESS

Starring: Zinedine Zidane

Running time: 91 minutes

One for the soccer purists, ""Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait" is an experimental film that follows its titular character Zinedine Zidane through the entirety of a match played between Real Madrid and Villarreal.

Shot using 17 synchronized cameras and backdropped by the ethereal sounds of Scottish post-rock band Mogwai, the movie is an historic part of sport cinema.

10. "Escape to Victory" (1981)

A match made in heaven. / IMAGO/Independent Photo Agency

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, Max von Sydow, Pelé

Running time: 117 minutes

Every wanted to see Rambo in a movie with soccer legend Pelé? Well, you can in 1981's "Escape to Victory."

Also known as "Victory", the film brings together famous soccer players and a cast of Hollywood stars to tell the absurd yet surprisingly captivating story of a high-stakes soccer match between a band of war captives and their Nazi oppressors.

Think "The Great Escape", but with soccer balls instead of shovels, and Sylvester Stallone instead of Steve McQueen.

11. "Offside" (2006)

Jafar Panahi's "Offside" was met with widespread critical acclaim upon its release. / IMAGO/United Archives

Starring: Shima Mobarak-Shahi, Safar Samandar, Shayesteh Irani

Running time: 93 minutes

"Offside" is a 2006 Iranian movie about group of girls who try to attend a World Cup qualifying match, but are banned by law from doing so because of their gender.

Director Jafar Panahi told FilmVision that the movie was supposed to highlight "discrimination against women" in Iran "on a larger scale."

Four years after its release, Panahi was sentenced to six years in jail and banned from making movies for two decades after an Iranian court found him guilty of “colluding in the gathering and making of propaganda against the regime.”

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