Next Goal Wins (2023, Taika Waititi)

Next Goal Wins chronicles American Samoa's quest for their first international victory after a historic 31–0 loss to Australia in 2001—the largest margin in FIFA history. Director Taika Waititi captures Dutch coach Thomas Rongen's 2014 World Cup qualification campaign with a squad of amateurs, including Jaiyah Saelua, the first transgender player in a FIFA qualifier. The documentary's emotional core—a 2–0 victory over Tonga in 2011—exceeds the tear-jerking impact of three other entries on this list. At 103 minutes, it's 30% shorter than the typical sports documentary, blending humor and dignity to showcase how inclusion transforms a team ranked dead last. Concrete data: the squad's average wage was $0.