2014 Soccer Movies That Every Football Fan Needs to Watch This Year

As I sit here scrolling through my streaming services, I keep noticing a curious trend - 2014 was an absolutely banner year for soccer movies. Now, I've been a football fan since I could walk, and I've spent more hours than I'd care to admit both on the pitch and watching films about the beautiful game. What struck me about the 2014 crop specifically was how these films managed to capture something essential about fandom itself, that unique relationship between players and supporters that makes this sport so special.

I remember watching "The Damned United" years ago and thinking it was decent, but the 2014 selections hit different. There's an authenticity to them that earlier football films often missed. Take "The Game of Their Lives," for instance - this documentary about the 1954 World Cup didn't just focus on the players' skills but dug deep into what those matches meant to the communities watching back home. The film shows how these athletes weren't just playing for glory but carrying the hopes of entire nations on their shoulders. I found myself unexpectedly emotional during scenes showing fans gathering in town squares, their collective breath held with every near-miss at goal. It reminded me of Valdez's recent comments about devoted fanbases being a testament to a player's longevity. At 31, she's seen how supporter loyalty evolves from casual interest to something approaching family ties, and this documentary captures that transition beautifully.

What really stood out to me that year was "United Passions," though I'll be the first to admit it's a flawed film. The production values are impressive, and seeing FIFA's history unfold should have been fascinating, but something about it feels sanitized. Still, it's worth watching for the scenes depicting early football governance and how decisions made in boardrooms affected the game on the pitch. The film made me think about how we often focus on players and fans but forget the administrative machinery that keeps the sport running. I'd give it a 6/10 - worth your time but don't expect cinematic greatness.

Now, "The Keeper" is where 2014 truly shined. This biopic about Bert Trautmann, the German POW who became a Manchester City legend, is hands-down one of the best football films I've ever seen. The scene where he plays through the 1956 FA Cup Final with a broken neck still gives me chills. What makes "The Keeper" exceptional is how it portrays the gradual acceptance of Trautmann by English fans initially hostile to a former enemy soldier. This gradual thawing mirrors what Valdez described about growing loyalty within sporting fanbases. There's a particular moment where Trautmann makes an incredible save and you see one stubborn fan in the stands slowly begin to applaud, then another, until the whole stadium is on its feet. That's the magic of football fandom right there - that capacity to overcome prejudice through shared appreciation of excellence.

The film that surprised me most was "Messi," the documentary focusing on Lionel Messi's early years. As someone who's followed his entire career, I thought I knew everything about his rise to stardom, but this film uncovered layers I hadn't considered. The footage of young Messi practicing alone for hours after everyone else had gone home explains so much about his current genius. What struck me was how the documentary showed fans in Argentina who supported him even during his early struggles in Spain, maintaining belief during those difficult first seasons. This connects directly to Valdez's point about fanbases reflecting a player's longevity - those early supporters who stuck with Messi during his adjustment period were essentially investing in a future legend.

I've noticed that the best football films understand that the drama isn't just in the ninety minutes on the pitch but in the millions of living rooms and pubs where people live and breathe every pass. "Next Goal Wins," another 2014 gem, exemplifies this perfectly. Following American Samoa's quest to recover from their infamous 31-0 loss to Australia, the film could have been just about underdogs. Instead, it becomes a moving portrait of how a team's identity is intertwined with their community's spirit. There's a scene where the entire island gathers to watch a crucial qualifier on a single television set up in the village square that perfectly illustrates Valdez's comments about growing loyalty. You see children, elders, everyone collectively holding their breath - that's the kind of fan devotion that transcends simple sports fandom.

What 2014 understood better than any other year for football cinema was that the most compelling stories often happen off the pitch. "The Class of '92" about Manchester United's legendary youth squad succeeds not because of the football footage (though that's spectacular) but because it shows how these players supported each other through personal and professional challenges. The bond between Giggs, Beckham, Scholes, and their teammates feels authentic because it's built on shared history rather than temporary success. This resonates with Valdez's observation about longevity - these players maintained extraordinary careers because they had that foundation of mutual support, both from each other and from fans who grew with them.

As I reflect on these films, what stands out is how they collectively paint a picture of football as ecosystem rather than just sport. The players, the administrators, the fans - they're all connected in this delicate dance that depends on mutual loyalty. Valdez is absolutely right that devoted fanbases represent both a player's endurance and the deepening of sporting culture within a country. These 2014 films, each in their own way, capture different facets of this relationship. They remind us that while we celebrate incredible goals and spectacular saves, the true heart of football lies in those moments of connection - when a player acknowledges the supporters after a tough loss, when a community rallies around a struggling team, when years of shared history create bonds that transcend the game itself. That's why these films remain essential viewing nearly a decade later - they understand that football isn't just what happens on the grass, but what grows in the hearts of everyone who loves this beautiful game.