The Beautiful Game follows a team of unhoused footballers from England taking part in the Homeless World Cup in Rome, with a new striker named Vinny, who has just as many demons as he has skills with the ball. The film is available to stream on Netflix.
Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers
Plot summary
Vinny is struggling with finding a job while living out of his car. All he has is his football talent that one day, the famous scouter Mal Bradley notices.
He asks Vinny to join England’s team and take part in the upcoming Homeless World Cup in Rome. Vinny refuses to do so at first but ultimately decides on the contrary.
Vinny has a hard time gelling with the other teammates, as his inner demons and insecurities come in the way of him accepting his situation and overcoming it.
Their path is shaky but they manage to get on an incline in the World Cup. Vinny fails to be a true teammate and their team eventually suffers a major loss, along with a team member who has to return home due to medical reasons.
Meanwhile, Vinny has to reckon with his demons after revealing to his teammates who he really is and the different, much better future he failed to secure in the past.
His team manages to win the third spot without him, and he is later convinced to take part in the final game anyway, as part of the South African team. He helps them land the victory and it ends up being a helpful event for him.
Vinny joins Mal to properly train the next slew of recruits as he coaches them before The Beautiful Game rolls the credits.
Ending explained:
Vinny’s past
Mal scouted Vinny for West Ham when he was 12 years old. He had the spark but ultimately, he was not good enough and didn’t make it professionally.
He thought football was his all and he had it all if he was good at it. So when he couldn’t make it, he thought he lost it all.
Self-reproach and Imposter syndrome wracked his mind and spirit, and his condition got so bad for him that he became homeless, living out of his own car.
He’s a divorced dad of a little girl named Evie, who lives with her mother Ellie. Ever since he couldn’t make it in football, Vinny has been lost and hasn’t found his way.
The Homeless World Cup
Vinny fails to become a team player during the Homeless World Cup, ever since the start, and when they lose the semifinals, Cal lashes out at him.
Soon, he gets a call from Evie who tells him she gave a speech about him, and how he’s playing in the Homeless World Cup. This opens his wounds of insecurity and self-reproach.
He reveals to his teammates how he used to play for West Ham, and now he’s with them (the losers). He storms off and gets a good distance from the venue while calling himself “not good enough,” “hopeless,” “worthless,” and “homeless.”
He rushes off the next day, for the play-offs for the third place. He can’t make it there in time, though, and watches on screen as his team wins against the USA on their own, securing the third spot at the podium.
Later, Sister Protasia from South Africa meets him and convinces him to play as the replacement player for their team. He agrees and participates in the finals, winning them the cup ultimately.
He’s cheered on by his own teammates in the finals, who join him in celebration afterward. Mal gives him the bronze medal and reveals that he scouted him for West Ham when he was a child.
The happy ending
Nathan is a recovering Heroin addict and has to take a regular dosage of Methadone. He is Vinny’s roommate in Rome but the latter can’t bring himself to share a room with Nathan, who he calls a junkie among other hurtful things.
Despite Nathan’s efforts, Vinny remains cold to him and doesn’t watch over him. Nathan stops taking Methadone and consequently, gets overwhelmed in the semifinals and has to be sent back home.
After the World Cup, Vinny gives Nathan’s mom his bronze medal and she tells him Nathan will be happy watching them in the newspapers.
Meanwhile, Jason remains in contact with Rosita, who receives an opportunity to play for the University of Colorado after a scouter notices her at the World Cup.
The Beautiful Game ends with Vinny joining the team and Mal Bradley as a permanent member, coaching the new recruits for England’s homeless football team.
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