Soccer is having quite a moment in Hollywood right now, and Next Goal Wins is the latest project to explore this sport. The first trailer for this promising comedy is here, and it sees Michael Fassbender play a soccer coach who’s determined to lead his team to the World Cup.
Directed by the Oscar-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi, Next Goal Wins centers on the true story of the American Samoa soccer team. Following their infamous 31-0 loss to Australia in the FIFA World Cup qualification in 2001, they decide to turn things around by hiring down-on-his-luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Fassbender).
This heartfelt underdog comedy will show Rongen doing everything in his power to turn one of the world’s worst soccer teams into an elite squad, in an attempt to eventually lead them to the FIFA World Cup.
Waititi wrote the script for this project with Iain Morris, and he also plays one of the supporting roles alongside Elisabeth Moss, Oscar Kightley, Uli Latukefu, Rachel House, Kaimana, David Fane, Beulah Koale, Chris Alosio, Will Arnett, and his frequent collaborator Rhys Darby.
Next Goal Wins was filmed in Honolulu, Hawaii between late 2019 and early 2020, and it will be released by Searchlight Pictures on November 17 after several major delays.
