The Best Soccer Movies

Ranker Film
Updated June 23, 2023 10.1K votes 3.1K voters 426.0K views
Over 3.1K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Soccer Movies
Voting Rules
Movies must center around futbol/football or soccer

What is the best soccer movie of all time? This list of great soccer movies features soccer movies for kids, international soccer movies, and funny soccer movies. Soccer movies are some of the most-loved sports movies because they feature a sport that many of us played as children and have fond memories of. The best soccer movies capture the competitive spirit of the game and make us care about the characters and teams. So, what is the top soccer movie? What football movies do you love?

Many consider the 2005 film Goal to be the best soccer movie ever. However, soccer movies like The Damned United, Victory, Fever Pitch, and Green Street Hoooligans are right up there with it. There are great female-led soccer movies like Bend It Like Beckham. There are also great soccer comedy movies like Kicking and Screaming and The Big Green.

Vote up your favorite soccer films and help decide the greatest soccer movie of all time!

Most divisive: She's the Man
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  • Goal!
    1

    Goal!

    Kuno Becker, Alessandro Nivola, Stephen Dillane
    1,100 votes
    • Released: 2005
    • Directed by: Danny Cannon
    Santiago Muñez, a Mexican cook in Los Angeles, gets a chance to follow his dream of playing professional soccer. A talent scout with contacts in the United Kingdom spots him and offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance: If he can find a way to England, he can try out for the Newcastle United team. Gavin Harris, a star player, takes young Santiago under his wing and helps him prove himself to his disbelieving father.
  • The Damned United
    2

    The Damned United

    Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall, Jim Broadbent
    979 votes
    • Released: 2009
    • Directed by: Tom Hooper
    The story of Brian Clough's 44 day stint as manager of Leeds United Football Club takes place in 1974 England. When Don Revie quits Leeds to become the England boss, the outspoken Brian Clough takes charge. Determined to impose his own style upon Revie's tough tackling team, Clough soon alienates his players and the board. Based on the book by David Pearce.

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  • Escape to Victory
    3

    Escape to Victory

    Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, Pelé
    739 votes
    • Released: 1981
    • Directed by: John Huston
    The head of a German POW camp, soccer enthusiast Karl von Steiner (Max von Sydow) organizes a match between Nazi players and their Allied captives. Orchestrated as a way to push the Third Reich agenda, the high-profile game is set to feature an international team led by John Colby (Michael Caine), a veteran British player. While the team, which also includes Luis Fernandez (Pelé) of Trinidad, trains for the match, Robert Hatch (Sylvester Stallone) plans a dangerous mass escape from the camp.

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  • Green Street Hooligans
    4

    Green Street Hooligans

    Elijah Wood, Charlie Hunnam, Claire Forlani
    634 votes
    • Released: 2005
    • Directed by: Lexi Alexander
    American journalism student Matt Buckner (Elijah Wood) moves in with his sister and her family in London. There, he meets football hooligan Pete Dunham (Charlie Hunnam), who introduces him to his rough tribal world, where supporters of opposing teams battle each other before and after games. But Pete's lieutenant, Bovver (Leo Gregory), suspects Matt's motives and inadvertently reopens a years-old rivalry between Pete's brother (Marc Warren) and the leader of a rival gang (Geoff Bell).
  • Bend It like Beckham
    5

    Bend It like Beckham

    Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Anupam Kher
    827 votes
    • Released: 2002
    • Directed by: Gurinder Chadha
    Bend It Like Beckham, a British comedy-drama, weaves the story of Jesminder Bhamra (Parminder Nagra), a young Sikh woman smitten with football. Amidst cultural clashes and family expectations, she nurtures her passion clandestinely, inspired by her idol David Beckham. Her talent catches the eye of Jules Paxton (Keira Knightley), leading to an unlikely alliance in a local women's team. Directed by Gurinder Chadha, this film won the BBC's Britain's Best Film award. It explores themes of identity, aspiration, and friendship, against the backdrop of multicultural London. Multilayered yet accessible, it's a unique blend of sports and social commentary.

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  • Mean Machine
    6

    Mean Machine

    Jason Statham, Vinnie Jones, Omid Djalili
    189 votes
    • Released: 2001
    • Directed by: Barry Skolnick
    Mean Machine is a 2001 British comedy-drama film directed by Barry Skolnick. It stars former footballer Vinnie Jones. The film is an adaptation of the 1974 American film The Longest Yard, featuring association football rather than American football. It also reunites most of the cast who have starred in the Guy Ritchie blockbusters Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch.

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