The Champion (2024) summary and ending explained

Netflix’s The Champion (2024) follows Diego, a hot-headed football star who has to learn important life lessons to safeguard his future.

Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers

Plot summary:

Diego is a talented footballer who broke into the Atletico Madrid squad at 18. Near the end of his first season, Diego gets suspended for disciplinary issues with three games to go.

He has anger issues and gets into an argument with the team captain before headbutting him. The whole thing is caught on camera and Diego is punished.

His agent, Juanma, has an idea about improving the situation, and Diego’s image. He recruits his brother, Alex, a professor and researcher with severe anxiety.

Diego apologizes for his actions at a press conference and announces that he will get lessons from Alex to better himself.

Diego didn’t know about this because his father, Tito, pre-approved it and controlled his son’s decisions.

Alex is not interested in the attention this will bring but he has very little choice as he needs the money to keep his mother’s house.

Diego is suspended for two games and needs to prove himself before the final game of the season.

The first lesson is meant to be in front of cameras and includes a radio interview but Alex walks out of it and asks that Diego show up at his house the next day.

Diego arrives at Alex’s house and is given a reading task. Alex deduces that Deigo has dyslexia but also realizes that he has an aptitude for physical spaces and puzzles.

Diego’s girlfriend, Ceci, wants him to take his lessons seriously and improve his life for when he’s not playing.

She is not a huge fan of him partying with his friends all the time and taking his career for granted.

She tells Alex that Tito and Juanma are trying to get him to sign something that he must not.

When Tito asks Diego to sign some contracts, Alex spills some juice on them to delay the process.

Diego drops Alex off at the University and sits in on one of his classes. He is very impressed and starts to warm up to what Alex has to say while avoiding Tito’s calls.

They sneak into the Wanda Metropolitano at night and Alex talks about the time his father took him for a match and then disappeared forever.

Ever since then, Alex has had anxiety issues and despised football. Diego talks about wanting to play at Atleti for his entire career.

Diego and Alex pick up Ceci and drive to Diego’s village to meet his Uncle Isra. He was invited to attend the local festival and play football with them.

Tito told Diego that it was not possible but Diego went there anyway and had a wonderful time.

When he returns home, his father punches him in the face and tells him that he cannot avoid calls anymore.

The next day, Tito tells Alex that they have decided to stop the lessons. Diego gets the news that he’ll be playing the final game of the season which will be a title decider.

There is a party for him that night and Tito and Juanma discuss Diego’s transfer to Manchester City.

Tito says that Diego cannot find out about it just yet so they need to keep a lid on it.

Alex shows up to talk to Diego and tell him that the lessons are over, but he gets an anxiety attack trying to get through the crowd.

Juanma tells Alex that he needs to take his payment and go because Diego is a star player with bigger things in his future than his lessons.

Alex walks out and rips the cheque he was given but Diego spots him and wants to have a word. Alex is too ashamed to speak and leaves without saying a word.

Diego kicks out at the cab in anger and hurts his ankle.

Ending explained:

Saving the deal

Tito and Juanma are hoping that Diego doesn’t play because he is injured and it would jeopardize his transfer.

Diego still doesn’t know about it and wants to get checked by the doctor but his father tells him not to.

The physio tells the team that he could use an injection that would reduce the pain for some time but that would be a big risk.

The team plays poorly and goes in at halftime two goals down.

Spreading the word

Ceci visits Alex that morning and hands him the letter that Diego had written to him. She tells him that he shouldn’t give up so easily.

Alex later sees the letter and is inspired to go to the match. He starts a Diego chant and then tells other fans that he’s going to Manchester.

They believe him after realizing the he’s Diego’s teacher. They start chanting that Diego is not for sale and Tito gets angry with what’s happening.

Juanma continues to get calls from the other club and he tries to come up with excuses to allay their fears.

Fulfilling his potential

Diego says that he needs to play and agrees to get the injection. His father tries to stop him but Diego stands up to him and his teammates back him up.

Diego comes on for the second half and is inspired. He scores the first goal and then assists the second, bringing them level.

He is then brought down for a penalty and agrees to take it, but he’s a more improved person this time.

He scores and wins the championship for his team, sparking mad celebrations.


Also Read: Eva Lasting season 2 summary and ending explained

Nadeem Abdul
Nadeem Abdul
Nadeem is an editor for The Envoy Web and an avid fan of films and shows. He has spent a significant amount of time taking in all kinds of genres and has a particular interest in the sci-fi and fantasy realms including series like Doctor Who, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Young Justice among others.

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