The Best Films About Soccer

Gerard Depardieu, like most Frenchmen, loves soccer. In fact, he loves soccer so much he's making a whole movie dedicated to its history, which he will star in alongside Tim Roth. In a brilliant marketing and public relations move, Depardieu has announced the film will be released on the sport's 110th birthday around the same time as the World Cup in Brazil. We're thinking the stakes are too high and the actors too good for this movie not to be awesome. For those of you desperate to see Depardieu's film or eager to learn about soccer the lazy way, here are some of the greatest soccer movies released in the last two decades.

The Damned United

The Damned United marked the fifth collaboration between Michael Sheen and Peter Morgan, who previously made Frost/Nixon and The Queen together, and the artistic chemistry is palpable. More importantly, for those of you who know everything about soccer or nothing about it, this film will teach you something valuable.

Rudo y Cursi

Even if you hate soccer, it's worth watching Rudo y Cursi just to see Gael García Bernal as a wannabe singer clad in fringe cowboy shirts. But be warned, this movie, as funny as it is, will break your heart, especially if you're a die-hard Diego Luna fan.

Fever Pitch

Proving that both American adaptations of foreign films and the Boston Red Sox suck, the original Fever Pitch is a delightful take on a Nick Hornby novel of the same name. I'm sorry Jimmy Fallon, you're no Colin Firth.

Bend It Like Beckham

Girl power! Keira Knightley and Parminder Nagra play female soccer players who prove girls aren't just good at sports, they're also more interested in them than finding husbands. Just ignore that part about Knightley not being able to attract a man. It's fiction, after all.

Shaolin Soccer

More girl power, plus kung fu, a laugh track-worthy script, and crazy awesome visual effects make Shaolin Soccer the greatest soccer movie of all time. Seriously, you'll be able to tell right from the trailer.