‘Next Goal Wins’: Taika Waititi’s Soccer Comedy Does Enough Despite Mishaps (Review)

Next Goal Wins comes to theaters at an interesting time. For three seasons, Apple TV+ entertained fans with the soccer comedy series Ted Lasso. And it looks like the show is not coming back for a fourth season, meaning Next Goal Wins is looking to fill the soccer void. Let’s be clear, Next Goal Wins is not Ted Lasso, by any means. But the film, directed by Taika Waititi, has enough kick to keep fans entertained for close to two hours.

The movie focuses on the story of the American Samoa soccer team, known for its 31-0 loss to Australia. It starts with Waititi narrating the story and appearing as a minister for the American Samoa community. His addition to the film was entertaining but slightly unnecessary. The team is looking for a coach to help the players no longer be a laughingstock in the sports world. This led to the hiring of Thomas Rongen played by Michael Fassbender. Thomas is a troubled coach forced to coach American Samoa to save his career. 

When Thomas observes the team, he quits multiple times because they lack the talent to compete at a high level. He is hard on the players, specifically Jaiyah (Kaimana) who is Fa’afafine, which in American Samoan culture are people who have fluid genders that move between male and female worlds. While American Samoa is not going to be an elite soccer club, the only way they will earn respect in the soccer world is if Thomas can get out of his own way and start believing in his players and himself.

Fassbender brings a strong performance in the film and makes you want to pull for him. He also has some emotional scenes with Kaimana, who also shows the strength and vulnerability needed to play Jaiyah. When it comes to the supporting cast, assistant coach Ace (David Fane) and Tavita (Oscar Knightley), the head of football operations of American Samoa, carry the comedy aspect of the film. 

One of the biggest issues of Next Goal Wins is there was not enough soccer to really make an inspirational soccer film. Most of this has to do with the story since they were training for one match, but it would have been nice to see more on-field action instead of seeing them practicing most of the movie. Also, Elisabeth Moss and Will Arnett are featured in the movie as Gail, Thomas’s wife, and Alex, the head of the American Soccer Federation, respectively. Gail and Alex are in a relationship, and that storyline wasn’t pushed as much as it should have been, especially with Alex being Thomas’s nemesis.

Waititi is a talented director who is not afraid to take chances. For Next Goal Wins, Waititi seemed to focus on Thomas and Jaiyah rather than the soccer, players and the challenges surrounding Thomas. And while that prevents Next Goal Wins from being a great sports movie, it’s funny enough to make it worth watching if you enjoy Waititi’s work.