Football is the most popular sport in the world and somehow it has been the subject of many great films over the years ever since filmmaking became one of the most important sources of entertainment for the general public.
We have maintained a list of the best films from all over the world based on football which is compiled below.
Please be nice and remind us in the comments if we have forgotten your favourite one.
Table of Contents
Best Films based on Football with Country Names
Football and Soccer both are same things, Americans call football, Soccer. So we are sharing the list of all Best Football Movies made in Britain and some other famous Football Movies from around the world.
Best Football Movies of All Time
The Damned United (Britain) (2009)
The Damned United is a British sports drams film that is centred around the rivalry between two coaches.
Brian Clough is our protagonist who has been chosen the new coach of the Leeds’ team and is now under immense pressure to perform better than his predecessor.
However he goes way too overboard with this and becomes harsh with his players and that eventually costs him his place as the coach of the team.
But the immense drama that the film takes the audience through is shown in a way that resonates with the audiences very well.
Offside (Iran) (2006)
Director Jafar Panahi is known for his films that are too personal, too real and too hard hitting in nature and that traits in his films have put him in the list of best contemporary directors of present generation.
Offside film is a take on women football that has not been given attention in Iran. The film tells the story of a group of female Iranian football fans who want to watch a match live in the stadium, which is forbidden.
The film takes the audience into highly patriarchal Iranian society and how human spirit trumps all.
The Goalkeeper’s Fear of the Penalty (Germany) (1972)
German cinema post the Second World War has evolved greatly in terms of the content.
While before it was mostly propaganda films, German films have explored some new greater territories in terms of content.
Directed by one of the greatest German directors of all times, Win Wenders, the film tells the story of a professional soccer player who checks into a hotel, sleeps with a cashier and kills her afterwards in a fit of impulsiveness.
This was one of the most successful German films of the year and one of the most internationally recognized films made by the director Win Wenders.
Goal! (Britain) (2005)
Goal is yet another film from the United Kingdom that takes the love for the game of soccer many steps further.
The film tells the story of a lower middle class boy, who dreams of becoming a professional footballer. But his family has some needs and it is now up to him to choose between his family and his love for the game or to find something in the middle.
The plot may not be freshest of all, but the film was a captivating drama and perfectly exhibited Santiago’s troubled state of mind.
When Saturday Comes (Britain) (1995)
When Saturday comes is one more entry in our list, which has been somehow dominated by the British films.
Here comes one more entry, another masterpiece of a film. This time the film tells the story of a very talented football player who struggles with the demons of his own.
He wants to be a top notch footballer but is struggling with the habit of drinking. His girlfriend tries to help him but its all upto him in the end to quit drinking to take his game to another level and to become what he was destined to become.
Best Soccer Movies of All Time
Green Street (Britain-America) (2005)
Green Street happens to be one of the most experimental films on our list.
Telling the strange story about the fans of the game fighting each other off before and after each game, the film was an independent drama that scored many accolades at different film festivals.
Elijah Wood plays the lead role in the film as a young journalist who moves to England from America and gets stuck in the ‘football hooliganism’.
The moving drama is a hard hitting take on the strange culture that is prevalent in many parts of the United Kingdom.
The Game of Their Lives (USA) (2005)
The Game of Their Lives is an American film based on the book of the same name.
The film stars Gerard Butler in the lead role as a footballer in the American national football team. The story is set in the 50s when America was considered a major underdog when it comes to football.
The film is a story of how a team goes against all odds and ends up performing the miracles on their own. The film is also known for being one of the best performances of actor Gerard Butler’s career.
Escape to Victory (USA) (1981)
Escape to Victory is a film which is very hard to describe. Often described as one of the very few war-sports drama, the film was set during the Second World War.
The story begins as some American soldiers are being held captive by the Nazis and they have given up on the prospect of ever getting freedom. The Nazis agrees to a football game to take place between the two teams and the Americans have to plan their escape during the game itself.
The film received average reviews from the critics but was a box office smasher.
Best Football Comedy Movies
Shaolin Soccer (Hong Kong) (2001)
We have saved the best one for the last. There arguably is no film in our list that is as entertaining as this one.
Written and directed by Stephen Chow, who also stars in the film in the leading role, the film tells the story of a kung fu enthusiast who assembles a team of his childhood friends to win a local football tournament.
The wacky comedy film was highly layered with many other themes such as love, loyalty, friendship and drama. One of the most entertaining football films of all times, this film was one of the most successful films of the year in China.
Bend it Like Beckham (Britain) (2012)
Bend it like Beckham is a 2012 British family romantic comedy film which was helmed by Indian origin director Gurinder Chadha.
The film tells the story of a typical Indian family living in Britain. The daughter idolizes David Beckham, the English football star and wants to become a footballer but her parents are the biggest roadblock on her way to become a footballer.
They want her to learn how to cook and get married to an Indian guy. The film is the perfect telling of the classic story of how honesty and hardwork trumps all.
Your Turn!
These are the our list of Best Football films of all the Time, You can share your favorite soccer Movies in the comment sections.
