50 Best Soccer Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer

50 Best Soccer Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer

(Photo by Paramount Classics/courtesy Everett Collection) To start playing soccer, all you need is a flat surface, a round ball, a leg or two, and boom, you’re halfway to becoming a regular Diego Beckham. With its low barrier to entry and sky-high skill ceiling, it’s no wonder soccer’s the most popular sport in the world (at least until pickleball takes over — just 2.5 billion more people to go). So when it comes to the best movies ever made about soccer, we’re looking at it top to bottom, from goal-scoring winners to movies that may have flopped before the critics...

(Photo by Paramount Classics/courtesy Everett Collection) To start playing soccer, all you need is a flat surface, a round ball, a leg or two, and boom, you’re halfway to becoming a regular Diego Beckham. With its low barrier to entry and sky-high skill ceiling, it’s no wonder soccer’s the most popular sport in the world (at least until pickleball takes over — just 2.5 billion more people to go). So when it comes to the best movies ever made about soccer, we’re looking at it top to bottom, from goal-scoring winners to movies that may have flopped before the critics but still managed to find a spot on audiences’ teams.
We kick off our guide to the best soccer movies with Certified Fresh movies, including Offside (the comedy-drama from Iran, released when women were completely banned from attending sports), Bend It Like Beckham (the movie that made Keira Knightley a star), Shaolin Soccer (the outrageous action-fantasy from Stephen Chow), Diego Maradona (a documentary on one of the sport’s most legendary players), Early Man (stop-motion from Aardman Animations), and Looking for Eric (even freakin’ Ken Loach lightened up thanks to soccer). This premier selection of Certified Fresh movies reveals how truly international the sport is, as the only American soccer film in the top 10 is Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos , a revealing documentary on the 1970-1985 soccer club that famously signed Pele.
Beyond the top 10, we look at Fresh movies, including the Robert Duvall-starring A Shot at Glory , the World War II-set Victory , and Elisabeth Shue‘s autobiographical Gracie . Following that are Rotten-rated movies, including the ones that also rep positive Audience Scores like Green Street Hooligans , Mean Machine , and Goal! The Dream Begins. —Alex Vo #1 Adjusted Score: 96598% Critics Consensus: A spirited film that explores gender politics with comedy, intelligence, and a variety of interesting characters. Synopsis: Since women are banned from soccer matches, Iranian females masquerade as males so they can slip into Tehran's stadium to... [More] #2 Adjusted Score: 96836% Critics Consensus: Better than your average football pic, Damned United is carried by another star turn from Michael Sheen as Brian Clough. Synopsis: The story of Brian Clough's 44 day stint as manager of Leeds United Football Club takes place in 1974 England.... [More] #3 Adjusted Score: 94030% Critics Consensus: Diego Maradona traces the arc of a standard sports documentary, but illuminates its subject with uncommon clarity and depth. #4 Adjusted Score: 92059% Critics Consensus: The plot is utterly ridiculous, and the soccer in the movie is unlike any ever played anywhere on Earth, but watching Shaolin Soccer, you will probably find it impossible to care. Synopsis: All his life, an ordinary young man (Stephen Chow) has been treated like dirt. Still, he's never given up believing... [More] #5 Adjusted Score: 89946% Critics Consensus: Inspiring, compassionate, and with a sly undercurrent of social commentary, Bend It Like Beckham is a lively feel-good movie that genuinely charms. Synopsis: Jess Bhamra (Parminder Nagra), the daughter of a strict Indian couple (Anupam Kher, Shaheen Khan) in London, is not permitted... [More] #6 Adjusted Score: 87157% Critics Consensus: Ken Loach's latest is an uplifting, entertaining and amusing socio-drama featuring a match-winning performance from Eric Cantona. Synopsis: Ever since his wife (Stephanie Bishop) left him, Eric Bishop's (Steve Evets) life has fallen apart. His two teen sons... [More] #7 Adjusted Score: 82390% Critics Consensus: You don't have to be a soccer fan to enjoy this stylish, breezy slice of 1970s sports history. Synopsis: This documentary looks back on a time when soccer briefly captured America's attention. The film profiles the North American Soccer... [Mo...