Here’s the official trailer for Ultras, which is scheduled for a release date of March 20 on Netflix. When any film or book tackles hooligan culture, the potential for cliché tropes and cringeworthy sentiments masquerading as passion is off the charts, but there’s a lot to like about this first look at Ultras.
Foosball — or table soccer — was once the eighth-most popular sport in the United States. Professional footballers raked in huge winnings on a million-dollar tour with Porches given to champions. It was a glamorous time, with the sport appearing in major Hollywood films.
No player better represents the artistry and meritocracy of football than Andrés Iniesta. His nickname El Ilusionista (The Illusionist) encapsulates it all. He had an unmatched ability to confound the opposition from the midfield position, be it his miraculous power to effortlessly escape a pack of chasing defenders or his fantastic capacity to contort the ball to his every desire.
At the office of The18, we take our foosball pretty seriously. Although the incessant banging of ball against High Pressure Laminate walls isn’t conducive to maintaining a train of thought (don’t blame me for all the nonsense I write), the call of the 2-5-3 formation is too strong to ignore. For some, that call has turned into an obsession — these are the professional foosballers among us.
As this decade is coming to an end, we reminisce over the successes of the USWNT. The spotlight, the hate and emotional rollercoaster of the 2019 USWNT team in particular is one that definitely tops the decade off at an all time high.
Last Thursday, the “Matchday — Inside FC Barcelona” documentary premiered in Barcelona with a variety of representatives, players and celebrities present. The series promised a “no-holds-barred view of the club” filmed throughout the 2018-19 season, which offered the high of a league title and the lows of a Copa del Rey final defeat and that cataclysmic 4-0 defeat to Liverpool in the semifinals of the Champions League.
Taika Waititi is a genius. The New Zealand filmmaker finally earned global recognition after directing Thor: Ragnarok, where he also showcased his acting chops in the role of Korg, the hilarious rock-like creature that returned for Avengers: Endgame.
It pains me to say that my screenplay for a soccer-focused Disney Channel original film — “The Luck of the Irish II: Roy Keane’s Revenge” — has been overlooked in favor of Back of the Net, but that’s life. It’s still satisfying to know we’ve got a soccer movie coming to the Disney Channel.
On Saturday, June 15 at 8:00 pm, Back of the Net will debut on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW. Here’s the synopsis, which is everything you’d expect from an absolute classic:
Everyone knows who Diego Maradona is. If you don't, there’s an opportunity for you to get an in-depth look at the legendary Argentinian — the scorer of the infamous "Hand of God" goal against England in the quarterfinals of the 1986 FIFA World Cup — in the new documentary Diego Maradona.
He would go on to win that World Cup with Argentina, besting West Germany in the final. He is considered one of the best players of his generation, alongside Pelé.