06th Dec2023

Rewind: ‘Next Goal Wins (2014)’ Review

by James Rodrigues

With the Taika Waititi-directed feature-film version of this story coming to cinemas soon, here’s our review of the original 2014 documentary of the same name, Next Goal Wins from directors Mike Brett and Steve Jamison.

In 2001, American Samoa made history by receiving what was then the worst loss in football history during a qualifying match for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. After losing 31-0 to Australia, American Samoa were dubbed the World’s Worst Team and were dogged by defeat ever since. While many would have used such demoralizing news to poke fun at the team, directors Mike Brett and Steve Jamison crafted a documentary to celebrate instead how the team continues to play despite such defeats.

At the time, Football was a relatively new sport to American Samoa which was getting bigger. As such, the team contained no professional footballers and relied on the players to partake for free, working around full-time education, jobs, and family life. They play because of their love for the game, intent on compensating for their lacking skills with sheer determination. This big-hearted bunch are willing to do anything while representing their country and intend to prove their worth as a team.

Regardless of how interested one is in football, this documentary does a phenomenal job of leaving viewers invested throughout. Key to that is the gorgeous look at this community focused on inclusion and family, through a team endearing in their perseverance who became a makeshift family. Amidst the naturally found humour is a sense of getting to know the individual members and what this means to them, from US-born player Rawlston Masaniai joining the team as an opportunity to rediscover his heritage, to embarrassed goal-keeper Nicky Salapu intent on redeeming himself after the Australia game. Also included is Jaiyah Saelua, a faʻafafine defender who made history as the first Transgender player to start a qualifying FIFA game.

Arriving to help the team is the only applicant for a coaching position, Dutch-born coach Thomas Rongen. While he tries getting the team ready to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, things get off to a difficult start as Thomas is initially argumentative. The frustration is felt as the team’s best efforts initially make little impact on their games, although it leaves viewers rooting for them to take their teachings and persevere against the odds. It becomes heartening to see how far the team have come aided by Thomas’ coaching, offering hope for their future in life-affirming ways. What remains is an infectiously joyous documentary which makes a niche story resonate so phenomenally.

****½  4.5/5

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