The underdog sports comedy Next Goal wins is based on the true story of American Samoa's soccer team and its attempts to improve on its status as a worldwide laughing

stock. The film is from Tycho Y-T-T and stars Michael Fastbender as the real life

coach tasked with helping the team compete in a World Cup qualifying match.

I'm Linda Holmes.

And I'm Stephen Thompson.

Today we are talking about next goal wins

on Pop Culture Happy Hour from NPR. Joining us today is one of the hosts of NPR's Code Switch podcast, Gene Dembe, hey Gene.

Hey Gene!

I'm so glad to be here.

Hey Gene!

It is so great to have you.

So next goal wins is based on the real life exploits of American Samoa's soccer team, which experienced

embarrassment on a global scale when it lost a match to Australia

by the score of 31 to nothing back in 2001.

Ten years later, as the World Cup qualifiers approached American Samoa looked to improve its lot by hiring a down on his luck Dutch American coach named Thomas Rungen.

He's played by Michael Fastbender.

What follows will be familiar to anyone who's seen the 2014

documentary also called Next Goal wins, which documents Rangen's attempts to turn the team around.

But the new film will also be familiar to anyone who has ever seen an underdog sports movie.

He had cool runnings, the mighty ducks, or the bad news bears. You take a wacky team of misfits,

an exasperated coach with no other options, and a whole lot of training

montages, you know the drill. Next goal wins also stars Kamana as Jaya, who is Pfaffinay, an American Samoan term referring to gender fluidity.

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