All language subtitles for Next.Goal.Wins.2014.720p.WEB-DL.h.264-oddset

(WHISTLE BLOW)

(CROWD NOISE)

(CHEERING AND PERCUSSION MUSIC)

(FINAL WHISTLE BLOWS AND
TRANSITIONS TO SOMBRE MUSIC)

NICKY: I wish that I could go back and play
against Australia, you know

Unfortunately it's like you can't change
anything on the internet...

..and you know, it's still gonna stay
on the record for a long time.

But it was embarrassing, you know.

ACE: I was there
when Australia beat us 30 nil.

30 or 31, I'm not sure, but I know it was 30.

My team, you know, they've got the heart.

I know they don't really have
the skills and everything...

..but they've got the guts,
and I always talk to them.

I always remind them, hey, everybody,
they don't talk about us.

We're, we're nothing.

TAVITA: They make fun of us...

..and say "Oh the team from American
Samoa, they're you know fast food team,"...

..and stuff like that.

American Samoa, it's a very small island.

We fund everything ourselves.

For us here on the island,
it's very hard financially.

None of these players are professional level,
they do not get paid...

..you know; they go to work.

And after work they come to practice.

It's a sport that's still young here,
we never win a game.

But Rome was not built in a day.

(SINGING)

CHARLES: Every league we go to,
we always get killed.

You know, it hurts you know when you
work on something so much...

..and have it crumble to pieces.

We're always the underdogs and we
always will be until we prove them wrong.

PATI: Success for us is working as a team.

Win or lose as long as the world know that
American Samoa will never give up...

..even if we're down by five.

But if they see us,
that we're still fighting...

..or even get a goal, that is
the most important thing.

To tell you the truth we don't
really talk about rankings.

We try to keep that off our minds because
it's one of the things that puts us down...

..knowing that we're one
of the bottom teams.

JR: I know there have been...

..some teams from this island who,
went to a tournament before but...

..I believe that this is the best team...

..to take the name of American Samoa
to represent the island.

We're gonna show them
that we're better than before.

I know we can win, trust me.

One, two, three, team!

NICKY: I'm just trying to prove
we're not the same team anymore.

We're gonna stand up as American
Samoan soccer team...

..and we're gonna prove it to everyone.

(WHISTLE BLOWS)

(SMASHING)

(DOG BARKING)

(CHURCH BELLS RINGING)

JUSTIN: Alright, for those of you who
don't know who I am...

..I'm a Sports Psychology consultant.

This is the reason why I came
to American Samoa.

I have one job, my one job is
to get you into the zone.

Does anybody know someone
who can't see, who's blind?

You might know someone like that, okay.

So if you can imagine Mount Everest
at one point was the tallest...

...the tallest mountain in North America,
okay, Mount Everest.

It's very rare to climb Mount Everest,
very rare.

And so this blind man, he climbed it.

A blind man climbed Mount,
this mountain.

At the very end a news reporter, they came
up to him and they asked him the question.

"Like, how did you do it? How did you,
a blind man, climb Mount Everest?"

And this blind man, he smiled,
and he said...

.."One step at a time."

Okay, this is what we're gonna do right
now, we're gonna be very open.

In your opinion, what do you think
they're really saying about you?

They're saying "American Samoa's men's
team, they didn't do good before..

..they're not gonna do good now."

You know what I'm here to say,
who cares what they think.

Do you know what makes you guys special
is that no one thinks you're good.

They have no idea who you are.

That's what makes you dangerous.

(SILENCE)

(RHYTHMIC AND UPBEAT MUSIC)

NICKY: I live in Seattle right now, and
I came over here to help my team...

..you know, as much as I can.

Here is the love of my life...

..here's my world over here.

This is my family
and I don't want to let them down.

(SHOUTING ORDERS TO TEAM)

Actually I'm a Samoan,
so I'm a resource that lives off island...

..but comes here to help out.

A lot of people have tried to come
over here and help them.

They do it technically correct...

..the problem is is that they have to then
understand the Samoan culture...

..call it our Samoan style or Samoan flavour.

They have such big hearts...

..they'll play through pain and
they'll walk through walls.

They're very religious,
they have incredible faith.

They'll do anything for their country
and for their families.

(CHEERING)

We hope that's gonna help us, you know
in terms of this next competition...

..the South Pacific games.

(LOUD CLAPPING AND CHEERING)

(ACOUSTIC GUITAR MUSIC)

JAIYAH: Soccer isn't really a big
sport here in American Samoa...

..but the team is getting better and better.

I guess if we do something different
this tournament,

they'll start looking at
soccer differently.

Beautiful!

Johnny you gotta step up right there.
Johnny, right here, right here.

JAIYAH: The coaches call me Johnny
because it's what's on the list,

that's what they see.

Sometimes when they call me on the field
and I'm like, I don't hear it because...

..I'm so used to "Jaiyah, Jaiyah, Jaiyah",
cause the team calls me Jaiyah...

..and it's what I'm comfortable hearing.

JAIYAH: Fa'afafine means way
of the woman.

We have two spirits,
the men's and the women's spirit.

We can do what the men do,
and what the women do.

So we're more reliable
in the community and the families.

I'm just a soccer player,
even though I run like a girl...

..and I feel like I'm not a male or a female.

I'm a soccer player.

LARRY: We wanna change history
this week right?

TEAM: Yes, right.

It's a new generation so let's
take care of business.

We're gonna take care of business
because no one takes care of us.

Yeah, come on, in, let's go, come on.

You guys are ready man.

I know you guys, you guys have
been waiting for this.

You guys have everything
in front of us, okay.

Who's saying the prayer?

Our Reverend.

(CONGREGATION SINGING HYMNS)

TOGIOLA: And so it is today...

..your country and your government
is handing you its 'Tapuinga'.

Its prayer, and its wishes
and aspirations,

for you.

TOGIOLA: Speaking
from the warring days...

..the more blood you find in your way...

..the more success that you have.

One, two, three America, Samoa.

(CHEERING)

Fight hard.

Fight strong.

Represent us with pride.

And always remember...

..in your dark moments when you
feel like you can't do anything...

(PLANE ENGINES)

(FIREWORKS)

(CHEERING AND WHISTLING)

(CHANTING)

(CLAPPING)

(SINGING)

(CROWD SINGING)

(CROWD SINGING AND CLAPPING)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

LARRY: Okay, last minute tip,
last minute tip okay.

When we lose the ball, if we lose the ball,
what do we have to do?

TEAM: Get it back!

When we get the ball back what do we do?

TEAM: Keep it!

Simple game. Simple game, right.

Make Believe!

(UPBEAT MUSIC)

LARRY: Easy, easy, easy.
Yeah that's good, let's go.

In the middle, in the middle first.

Take a shot.

Oh!

That's alright, it's alright.

Calm down, get the ball.
Move it, move it.

No, no, no!

Release.

Go, go, go.

Ohhh!

Turn around, hey, turn around.

Look at the ball, look at the ball. Come on.

Aw, shit.

Hey, hey, get in here, come on, come on!

I know you're tired, I know you're tired.
Come on.

You gotta find it inside.
Let's get a goal back.

We can get one goal back today.

Where are you going?

We need somebody in the middle.

Mark up.

Quick, quick!

(CROWD CHEERING)

LARRY: They needed nine goals today...

..you gave them only eight.

It's a step, these are steps.

Steps all going in the right direction.

(SHOUTING) Settle. Turn.

(GIRLS CHEERING IN CROWD)

Nicky, organise.

CROWD: Ohhh!

Hey, hey, hey.

All here now, it's all here.

(CHEERS)

Jeez.

That was not the plan.

Pati, I will give you a camera, next time
you can take pictures on the field...

..because you were never watching the ball.

I said what?

TEAM: Eyes on the ball.

Always on the ball.

Always on the ball!

(ROCK MUSIC)

(WHISTLE BLOWS)

LARRY: Quick, quick, quick, aye aye aye, go!

Hit it.

Come on.

(CHEERING)

C O MMENTAT O R: Here we g o again.
He's g o nna sc o re I fancy.

He has t oo, he's a happy man.

That fami I iar expressi o n
o n Nicky Sa I apu's face, what happened?

And this time he's r o und the keeper,
and he sc o res an o ther g o a I.

American Sam o a ni I, Vanuatu six.

LARRY: You guys talk all the time.

I hear you,
I can't understand full Samoan...

..but I know enough
that you talk a lot of shit.

Well how about you stop talking
and you do something?

(WHISTLES, CHEERING AND SOLEMN MUSIC)

C O MMENTAT O R:
W o rks the way d o wn the wing...

..and we have g o a I number five.

Judikae I I x o ee, a big sh o t
fr o m Vendeg o u this time.

(HORNS BLARING AND CROWD CHEERING)

And Nicky Sa I apu d o es what he d o es,
eyes t o the heavens.

He rea II y d o es have the hardest j o b
in sh o w business Nicky Sa I apu.

Miche I Hmae sh o ts ab o ut t o be un I eashed
fr o m the edge o f the area.

Sa I apu pr o ves
that he's n o mean g o a I keeper.

His team maybe seven g o a I s behind
but he can sti II pr o duce a save I ike that.

(FINAL WHISTLE BLOWS)

(CHEERING)

S o the referee brings the game
t o a premature c Io se.

L o o ks I ike American Sam o a are g o nna
g o h o me with a b I ank sheet.

(SOLEMN MUSIC AND DISTANT CHEERING)

C O MMENTAT O R: I t's a sad fact that Sa I apu
wi II be f o rever remembered as the...

..g o a I keeper wh o shipped 31
o n that fam o us day ten years ag o.

Y o u've g o t t o admire his Io ya I ty
t o his c o untry.

When Nicky Sa I apu decides
that he's had en o ugh...

.. I h o pe that s o meb o dy rec o gnises this
man f o r his c o ntributi o n t o s o ccer.

(HORNS BLARING AND WHISTLING FADES)

It doesn't matter what happened
to the outcome.

Soccer is my life, but I really, really
wanted to change the history...

..and I want to win.

I can't change the fact that this is gonna be
the last moments of soccer for me...

..for the national team.

But you know, you never know.

CHIN: Nicky is the number one
goalkeeper I'll ever know.

No matter what happened
in the games, eight zero, four zero.

He's still the number one goalkeeper.

I learn from Nicky, he's the best.

LARRY: You know something
great's gonna happen,

but you're waiting so long for something...

..and your heart goes out to the players.

They give it everything.

Probably the most emotionally
draining thing I've ever done in my life.

In childhood games or you know,
school yard games, when you say that...

..you know the next goal wins...

..and everyone seems to get motivated
and heightened to achieve that goal.

You know, we take that one step further.

Regardless of what the outcome of the game
that we've had, here, next goal wins...

..or a goal wins for us...

we're just gonna keep moving forward.

JR: Larry...

(DEJECTED HOORAYS)

(APPLAUSE)

(HEAVY RAIN)

(GENTLE PIANO MUSIC)

JR: Look listen, hey, listen up.
When you guys are given a worksheet...

..or any problem that has a graph.

You don't need to use your formula,
if you have the graph itself.

Just by looking at the graph, think about
how many units are going down or up.

(CHATTERING)

This is the Samoana High School drill.

We're all up here. The whole island
is doing the same drill.

We were hit a few years ago, there was a
very bad disaster...

..we're just practising, just to be ready,
just for the safety of the people...

..and our memories of our
loved ones that are gone.

We believe that in Samoa everyone
are related, and we're all family.

It's a very very sad thing that happened,
a few years ago.

(WAVES CRASHING)

TAVITA: It's something
that I will never forget.

I left my office that night around 11
o'clock, and then the following morning...

..the tsunami strike at 7.30.

NEWS READER: Y o u're Io o king at s o me
o f the first pictures c o ming o ut o f...

..Tsunami-ravaged Sam o a, and American Sam o a.

An undersea earthquake

with a magnitude as high as 8.3
triggered waves up t o 20 feet high.

Sam o an auth o rities say the death t o II
c o u I d be m o re than 100.

Entire vi II ages have been f I attened

and t o night, President O bama has...
(NEWS READER FADES)

D'ANGELO: I think it was the first wave that
hit here rose like, that high...

..all the way into the ceiling
of that building.

Like, it damaged everything here and went
onto the field. It was so high.

We don't believe what I've seen.

The field itself was very badly damaged.
It was a mess.

GLENN: Just to witness, and I was there three
days after the Tsunami with containers...

..tuna boats, everything right across
the facilities; totally devastated.

The groundsman was swept from
the building nearly a kilometre...

..and down the road
through the Tsunami waste.

PAEPAE: I came out from the office
and was stood outside...

..and I knew that the Tsunami start coming.

I was trying to escape the Tsunami...

..but I am slow and the Tsunami
coming faster and hit me.

Rolled me over, yeah I'm so lucky man.
It's amazing.

TAVITA: After the Tsunami
we cleaned the field,

and even if there was no grass,
we still train on it.

It gives the impression to the players,

you know, it's not to stop them
from playing football.

GLENN: Only hours after this devastation,
and the loss of 33 people...

..and they are back in the facilities,
starting to clean.

Starting to make it ready, starting to
want to play football again.

It's certainly showing that
football has a place in the country,

and they want it to grow.

JR: We'll always have the past...

..what happened
to our loved ones in memory,

but we have to learn from it
and move forward.

I guess because it's in our culture
and in our blood, we're warriors...

..we're here to fight back no matter what.

Same thing, when we lost in
New Caledonia, I guess.

That's one battle we lost, but that's not the
war.

Clear the past, think about the present
and prepare for the future.

(GUITAR MUSIC)

TAVITA: When we finished competition
in the South Pacific games...

..and US Soccer look at our resource...

..and they confirmed to us

that they were going
to help us for the World Cup qualifying.

There would be someone with good expertise
to come over and help the team.

For us, we didn't ask any questions,
as long as we get someone...

..because I think we need some help.

(UPBEAT FUNKY MUSIC)

THOMAS: I played with George Best,
Johan Cruy, I coached several MLS teams.

Spent time with the
US Soccer Federation as well,

so I know how it works on the highest level.

They put a memo out to several people,

and I was the first one
after five minutes to say...

..this could be an unbelievable challenge.

The highest honour that you can have is to...

..coach a national team, in an official
World Cup or World Cup qualifying games...

..and that's what we're preparing
for here right now.

Alright. Everybody's got three touches.

Guys, use the whole field, don't bundle up.

Play Tala!

One.

Two.

fo¿

Dead, dead, dead, dead!

Play green!

Johnny defend.

Two.

Three, four, five, six.

Aye aye aye, Daru.

Start again.

Play, yellow ball, yellow ball, yellow ball.

Yellow!

(MUTTERS) Fucking hell...

Go, pressure, fight Tala!

Go Pati, pressure. (WHISTLES)

Just bring it in, bring it in.

Daru, your game is not technical.
Your game is being hard.

Slide tackles, win.

If you're just gonna stand around,
you're not good enough.

So you need to work your ass off every time.

Don't just think now that I'm looking at
Daru, it goes for you, you, you, everybody.

TAVITA: When he got here,
Thomas was a very...

..difficult person to deal with.

Sometimes he's very tough to us, the
administration, and the Association.

THOMAS: But we have a program
to follow right now...

..and if you need to go to church
together on Sunday in Samoa...

..if we can do it 7am but not during one
of my practice sessions...

..I feel very strong about it.

- It's not my decision,
it's the decision of...

- No but, the decision can't just be
made like a day before.

It should've been done two weeks ago
so I can adjust my schedule.

It's grossly unfair to me,
and to the players.

- I'm just telling you right now, it's a
call coming from the President...

- I don't care, the call should have
been in a week ago, not tonight.

- You work under the Association.

- I don't work for you, I work for US Soccer,
I'm here of my own free will.

- It's a decision that's coming from the
Executive and the Association.

- I should have been involved in the
decision, don't tell me what I have to do.

And don't tell me now tonight
I have to do something.

Let the President come back here and we can
discuss it, but don't tell me what to do.

You brought me here to put
a winning team on the field.

- Yes, yes, yes.
- Exactly, correct. Then don't interfere.

Let me know next week so
I can adjust my schedule.

- You're only a coach, not a
President of the Association.

- Okay. Yes, thank you.

- Just calm down. I'll talk to the team,
and then I'll talk to you.

TAVITA: We told him, Thomas, please, this is
not the US, and if you don't like it...

..you just pack your things and go back home.

(BIRDS SINGING)

(SHOUTING)

THOMAS: Finish. Finish. That's okay Jaiyah,
that's okay.

Who's got Gene? Who's got Gene?
Suani! Tala!

JAIYAH: New head coach, he's tougher
and he's more strict.

When he gives you direction
you have to do it or like...

..there's a possibility of us getting cut.

What we say, yes. Feel him! Feel him!

Tala, you're playing yourself out
of the starting 11 right now.

If you're not going to be mentally tuned in,
you're a risk man.

I'm gonna put somebody else in there
that is maybe a lesser player...

..but is gonna do the job.

Yellows out.

This was by far the lowest standard
in international football...

..and that was my measuring stick.

They can't maintain or manage
90 minutes physically.

Six or seven players are currently in the
squad, aren't capable of playing a half.

I spoke to Tavita and I said, allow me
to do a little research.

Maybe I can find through my contacts
one or two players that we can...

..actually bring in to help raise
our standard of play.

What is it today, Thursday?

Tomorrow we have our first off island player.
He's gonna stay here.

I'm not gonna walk up to the rooms,
but I want the rooms clean.

And Skinner, get rid of the
fucking ashtray, seriously.

You know what, I'm a smoker too, right.
There's rules here.

Sneak behind the building, fucking have a
smoke there. Don't smoke in the room.

Because I'm sure there's guys in the room
that are non-smokers and don't like it.

So the non-smokers, fucking kick his ass out.

TEAM: Yes sir.

Very excited to be here guys.

He's a brother, embrace him, alright,
and he'll embrace you.

(HIP HOP MUSIC)

THOMAS: Hasn't been back here
for 20 years I think.

But American Samoan blood
flows through his veins.

RAWLSTON: The way he asked me,
he said "Rawlston...

..how would you like to represent your
grandfather and your grandmother's country...

..you know, in the World Cup?"

That's my dream.

First I played club ball, high school ball,
I was given a chance to play in college.

The highest level I've played in was
Osnabruck over in Germany

The level was good, there was
a lot for me to learn

They didn't renew my contract but you know

the experience did let me know that
I could play at that level

I've been out of the game for a little while
but, you know, I think that's okay

The passion is still there, the desire
to play is still inside of me

As long as I'm able to play, I want to

and since I'm still young enough
and strong enough

and I feel like I still have the ability to
play professional, that's what I wanna do

This might sound a little strange

but I've been praying
for something like this to happen

My Mum would always say
play with your heart

and make sure you give God
all the honour and the glory

MEKI: Rawley doing the thing that
he was born to do

that was an amazing thing that
God put together for him

When my Dad found out that Rawley was gonna
be able to come and help our team

his face was just glowing
My Dad is 90 years old

Everybody was running around the house
(WHOOPING)

(LAUGHS)

RAWLSTON: I'm a black and Samoan

I mean that's just how I grew up, I didn't
really know my Dad's side at all

I just grew up in a Samoan household
so I like to think I'm Samoan first

Take the SATs, they ask you the race
and gender, Pacific Islander

fill out a job application, Pacific Islander
Always Pacific Islander

So it's cool to be back
and to see all of this

RAMBO: It's a really good opportunity trying
to learn some new stuff from Rawly you know

He's trying to expand into our culture, cause
I know he's been gone a long, long time

Right now we're trying to find one person
you know, or two, three, from the States

trying to make a difference for the team

Because I know American Samoa
hasn't been up there

So to have them come down here and
play for us, I'm really happy for it

THOMAS: Off island players will edit another
dimension, a more mature dimension

which I think is good

They wanna help this team to get to a
level where they could actually

maybe score a goal or win a game,

which hasn't happened
in the history of this island

IULI: It's not something easy for us We
have some very good soccer players

Samoans, living in the States

We're just a 65,000 population
We're very small

Every year there's about 1600 kids
graduating from high school

There's no jobs, not enough opportunity there
for them, and as soon as they graduate

they join the military
and move on to the States

RAMIN: When I first fell in love with
soccer I was 12

I actually ran away from home
to go watch the game

I got to the field and come to find out my
older brother's team was actually playing

I didn't even know he had a soccer team

So I walked up to the field
where they were playing

and I was like, hey this is something
I might like to do

Military, erm, back on the island
is like the last option

If you wanna get off the island
you gotta join the military

ORA: He's been gone out in the
field for three days (DAUGHTER CRIES)

so our daughter is mad at him
for leaving her without saying goodbye

or letting her know where he was going

So there are some sacrifices that we have
to deal with with this army life

We're still trying to get used to it

RAMIN: It's so hard
to go forward as a soccer player

There really isn't
no scouting coming over there

"Oh this guy's good, we should sign him up,

or at least give him
a chance to show his talent "

So I was like, maybe I'll join the military
Maybe it'll expand my soccer for me

and it worked because my first duty
station I ended up in South Korea

In South Korea I played for
the post that I was in

Everhere I go they say, "oh, where
are you from?" "American Samoa "

"But you don't look Samoan,
you look Mexican "

"Oh I'm not Mexican,
I'm American Samoan "

"But American Samoan's don't play soccer "
"Yeah we do, you just haven't found out yet "

My wife is pregnant and we're
having another girl

I might end up with a women's
soccer team maybe one day

(LAUGHS)

It feels bad I won't be here to take her
around on her appointments and stuff

But other than that, I think she'll be fine,
she's a strong lady

ORA: He was too excited, you know, to even
ask me is it okay for me to go

It was like, okay I'm coming, you know
And I'm like, are you serious?

You wanna go play soccer
in my condition right now?

RAMIN: In her mind, I love soccer more
than I do her, but I'll do whatever to go

This fortune cookie, it says:

'Do not underestimate yourself Human
beings have unlimited potential '

I can relate to that

(ACOUSTIC GUITAR MUSIC)

THOMAS: The team needs to communicate
Man on! Time!

Yeah

That's so simple, you know

And just pop! If you're the boss, finish,
finish, finish - it's got to be done

Fuck So you walk every day miles?

Yeah

No wonder you're fit And no wonder when you
get to the second practice you're dead

They all have four or five jobs, you know
My assistant coach, you go one time

where are you, and he's already preparing
food for the guys in the kitchen,

for instance

The other one has a full time job
as a volunteer and needs to leave halfway

through the first session, which
starts by the way at five am

To train twice a day
with a group of guys that go off,

and go to school, be it high school

be it college, be it work,

and then come back at five
and still show a level of enthusiasm

it's pretty incredible really

Yeah, baby!

(LAUGHS)

I wanna make sure everyone in Amsterdam
knows we're at the highest point

- We're almost there

About five minutes from here

- Fuck!

- That's where we started

Holy smokes, man! What? Get my bearings
straight here What is that down there?

Where's our field?

- Right here

Oh yeah

I feel like I just landed on the moon,
I'm gonna say "Amsterdam has arrived "

(BIRDS SINGING)

Amsterdam baby Can you remember when
the US put the flag on the moon?

Yeah

Because really you know which
country rules the world (LAUGHTER)

It's the Netherlands baby, you know it

You dog Sex, drugs and rock n roll

- Well when we get up there

- That's a great feeling by the way,
that's pretty awesome

I had my doubts the last ten
minutes Ace, a little bit

CAMERAMAN: -We're not finished
THOMAS: - Huh?

CAMERAMAN: We're not finished

Is this not the highest point?
Okay, let's conquer the next one

(ELECTRIC GUITAR MUSIC)

What is this called?

- Mount Alava
- Mount Alava

ACE: I think he is 55 years old,

and he can walk up to the top
of Mount Alava and you know

two hours hiking up to the top and,

I think some of the players
haven't been there

So it was a good hike,
I think he's kind of

(LAUGHTER) in pain because of the hiking,
but he was happy

Yeah he was happy he was up there

It's pretty incredible how

people can actually influence you
if you pay some attention to them

which I haven't done
for the longest time because,

at my level it's all about
pushing the right buttons

It's all about, all right well,

if you play better next week
there'll be another bonus of $1000 or $2000

That's how sports are now, that's how
our players are driven

These guys, these guys play because they
love the game They get zero

You know, nothing Pretty amazing actually

This is now, the highest point of the island

Ohhh

(SINGING AND UKULELE) Stuck on you,
and there's a feeling deep down in my soul

that I just can't lose, 'cos I'm on my way

(TEAM CLAP AND SING ALONG)

My wife is here which is great

She's my best friend and comrade

and enjoys travelling,
and is very adventurous

And there is this higher being out there
through our daughter that passed away

that gives us a sense of reaching out and
embracing, and giving back so to speak

It's very important to us

(SINGING)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Real quickly, my best friend, my wife,
she travels with me everhere

Gail stand up, thanks for being here

(APPLAUSE)

Don't steal her Rolex watch, it cost
50 grand, alright (GASPS)

Everybody's watching, Shalom's going
'fuck's sake!' (LAUGHTER)

Just a quick story guys, and I
shared it with some of you

and that's maybe one of the
reasons that we're here

We lost our daughter
in a car accident when she was 18

you know, which is not easy

It's not easy to bury your own child, and
what I wanna tell you is that

you get only a few
opportunities in your life

You know, some of you are the same age
Who's 18, who's 17, who's 19 here?

Alright Live the moment

See it as a great opportunity, you know,
not as an obstacle, you know

As a great challenge, because there's
worse things in life quite frankly

GAIL: Eight years ago my daughter was on
her way back to University to start her

soccer training for the spring, and she was
killed in an automobile accident

It devastated us Nicole always had a little
saying that anything was possible

you just had to
find a way to make it happen

So we use that as our mantra
for everything we do

For Thomas this is what
it is all about for him

We're doing it for the greater good,
we're doing it for Nicole

My message to you is cherish
what we have right now

Cherish what we're gonna have
on the 22nd, 24th and 26th

Make it happen by going out there
and playing as hard as you can

(HEAVY RAIN)

(PIANO MUSIC)

Guys just listen up

If you're the last defender
maybe, you might have to take a slide tackle

Always play the ball, otherwise
there will be a red card

You can start your slide right here

(WATER SPLASHES)

Alright, four or five yards away

Gail, no sex tonight
I'm dead (LAUGHTER)

Hey easy guys

Go¿

Alright Johnny, alright

Yes Pati (LAUGHTER)
Excellent Pati

Go Skinner, go Skinner, yes Skinner
(LAUGHTER)

One more time Skinner, one more time

Yes, yes, yes give me the ball Good Daru

Yes Suani, there you go babe (CHEERING)

So pretend, no, face a little that way
China's on the breakaway right

it's going towards goal,
and I'm trying to catch him

So I get him, I'm going I'm going, go

I will leave my feet right here Pop! I
got it Thank you very much, and go home

You got it?

Come on down, yeah go on,
yes get it Good Uasi, good

Yes, yes, yes, Charlie good There you go

(LAUGHTER)

Come on, Skinner

(WHISTLES)

Red card

Alright lets let's get out of here
Well done guys, well done, good day today

(TEAM TRY TO TEACH
THOMAS NATIVE CHANT)

I'm actually nervous you know!

You reach sometimes I don't know, a level
in your life where change is good

I know the game quite well,
but I'm still learning too

and I'm actually learning
from these players;

maybe more off the field than on the field

You look at our transgender player Johnny,
Jaiyah, and she encapsulates what I think

American Samoa is all about
The culture, the environment

where everything is fairly pure and healthy
and the sport is really played for the joy

and the love of it, and the gender
race doesn't really matter

(MUSIC ON RADIO - RIHANNA; We Found Love)

JAIYAH: I study the performing arts

with a dance focus
at the University of Hawaii at Hilo

When I'm in Hawaii
I live as a female, 24I7,

and when I went up
to try for the boys' soccer team

I was very uncomfortable,

I didn't perform well
because the coaches and the team mates

none of them were Samoan

I didn't know how they would react

So it was hard for me to perform at my best
It's different from being around you know

the Samoan guys, they all understand
because of the culture

(TRADITIONAL MUSIC AND SINGING)

The Polynesian culture, when a transgender
is involved in anything

people get excited to see what's gonna
happen What, how they perform

As opposed to western beliefs who shoot
them down and don't recognise them

and give them all this trouble
about marriage and love,

who they should love, who they should be

Off the field people see me, you know,
I walk feminine, I do feminine things

Even when I walk onto the field, I wave to
the crowd and you know, all this diva stuff

But then as soon as the whistle blows
like I turn all of that off and I try to

prove to the people
that I can play, you know

and I'm not just seen
as a joke on the team

(APPLAUSE)

(SINGING) Mysterious girl,
I wanna get close to you

D'ANGELO: Jaiyah's different from all of us,
we just accept her as she is you know

And I'll just respect her as a sister,
whatever happens to her I'll protect her

I'll be there for her

(CHEERING)

(LAUGHTER)

If we lose, Jaiyah will say something
for us in order to be happy about it

She doesn't want us to feel down
She keeps us up

(LAUGHTER)

(FOREIGN DIALOGUE AND LAUGHTER)

JAIYAH: Knowing that I'm playing
with people who understand me

I'm comfortable
getting ready in front of them,

you know, straightening my hair,
make up, whatever

and the chemistry that we've built
throughout the camp

really helped with
making that comfortability

I feel like everybody has a
role to play in the team

If I was sitting in the stands
the whole three games,

I'd put my spirit out there and my energy

Whatever it takes to you know, just give
the boys on the field my full support

I want this so bad, more than
anything I ever wanted

THOMAS: Jaiyah's probably not gonna
play a minute in qualifying

She's fairly limited, you know,

but at the end of the day
a very important person to this team

Pretty much epitomises what this country
is all about About inclusion, about family

We are an extended family, and something
that I've missed a little bit, you know

So I was driven by fear of failure, winning
was the only thing in my life

I started losing sight
of what was really important

For them it's being together
and singing songs

and being highly religious and believing in
the higher being; and they're driven by that

(SINGING AND ORGAN PLAYING)

I wasn't raised religious, I'm an atheist

I don't know what singing is all about
because I've never entered church

so this here, in the outdoors, it's just,
it's a gift of god probably

It connects me a little with Gail and Nicole,
gives me a real warm feeling

a real inner peace as well

(Minister in English)

THOMAS: I have made an incredible
journey in my own head

I also realised that I've become
a little softer quite frankly

but I know when the game comes around,
I know myself

I'm gonna do everything in my
power to be successful

(SHOUTING)

(LONG WHISTLE)

Alright we're almost there, almost
No Daru, on the ground

Charlie, on the ground, not good
No, not good Casper

No, in the air Roy, no No good,
keep going On the ground

everything on the ground Even if it's one
inch off the ground it's not good

Pop! Pop!

Everybody always says they wanna win
"Yes Coach we wanna win!"

That's fine but refusing to lose that's just
another notch up, another level higher

The little nastiness in you
that refusing to lose,

that guy will just go in a little bit
further, a little bit more

Will push the threshold of pain just a little
bit further to accomplish that goal

I told you again, what I said, my phrase,
I'm gonna use that alright

American Samoan warriors! Show me how
to fight, I'll show you how to win

Are you right? Let's make it happen
Come on!

Show me that you wanna make
it happen, come on

(CHANTING)

This is Pago!

Well done, well done, well done

I just shit myself in my pants, seriously

Alright! Here we go

(ROCK MUSIC)

Quick, quick, quick!

Come on Jaiyah, push, push, push!

Come on Fiti, come on Fiti baby,
come on, come on, come on!

Whooo, I like it!

Come on Rawley Come on Rawley
Come on Rawley Come on Rawley

Anything over four ten now, it's like get out
of here, we got some real speed here

(GROANING)

Yeah knees up, arms going
Knees up Knees up

Come on Pump those arms
Pump those arms

Hup hup!

Keep him in front of you, JR, don't
go chasing like a mad man

Good ball Daru, good ball Daru

These knees should be all the way
coming up, all the way coming up

(GROANS IN PAIN)

Yes, yes, yes Get on the ball Casper

Oh, good ball! Fuck!

LARRY: Exactly

THOMAS: I talk to people like Larry, people
like Ace about what can I expect in terms

of the mentality of these islands

and these guys
have been in some battles

Some more than others, if you look at Nicky,
and Nicky's the only guy that was in that

31 to nothing loss, he was the goalkeeper

That for an athlete, it's got to be the
most embarrassing thing ever

And he walks through the streets of
Seattle and people remind him

"Are you the guy that gave up the most
goals in World Cup qualifying history?"

Wow, that's gotta be tough, and I can
tell there are scars with this guy

RICKY: Life over here, it's tough
It's very tough

If you don't work you can't pay the bills

So to go back, it's a big sacrifice

This tournament, it's very important for me

It's like something
that I was dreaming about, you know

I love my family very much, and it's just
a chance for me to make them proud

(BELL RINGING)

THOMAS: For him it's all about showing the
world that this country, not only himself

but the team can do something

We can win a game, that we aren't losers

Ahh!!

Go get'em Roy, go get it Roy

So I called this guy two days
ago to introduce myself

I go Nicky, Thomas Rongen, new Coach

I'm happy you're joining
the team blah, blah, blah

I know you're coming Monday, you know,
anything you wanna tell me?

I'm telling you, this guy almost broke
down on the phone, he goes;

"I wake up at night sweating, dreams of
31 goals I can never forget this "

This guy plays on his Xbox, him alone
against Australia, every night

and he keeps losing, but,
but he's trying you know?

(LAUGHS)

Seriously, I mean I didn't know
he was the goalkeeper

I mean, if we owe one guy, one joy moment,
fuck that'll be really awesome

(PERCUSSION MUSIC)

THOMAS: The hard work is done, now it's
all about the psychology of the game

and making them believe they can do it

and giving the confidence
that they can do it

In terms of the transition
of the off-island guys, it's been great

Ramin is a natural leader,
Nicky is Nicky, you know

He fits in right away, he works hard

And Rawlston made a great commitment
as well to come to American Samoa

and be with the guys a little
earlier, which helped him

They now understand that
these guys will benefit

Are there some disappointments of guys that
maybe thought they would start versus not?

Yes, there is, but I sacrificed some skill

and felt in this game we needed a
physical and mental hardness

I know when I looked at my coach this time,

and I mentioned Jaiyah's name,
everybody went like

"What the fuck is he doing?"

but based on what I've seen and based on
what we've done the last three weeks

she was the only one
that actually got stuck in

JAIYAH: This is a major
accomplishment for me

because this is my first time starting,
you know, the first team I've been in

I've always been a substitute or reserve

At first I was nervous, but with all the
encouragement from the boys

I feel ready

THOMAS: Great players, they want to be on the
highest stage, and this is the highest stage

This is where you should go wow!

I would cut off my penis to play in a
World Cup qualifying game

(LAUGHTER)

I've never played in one I've dreamt
about it, when I was two years old

when I started playing the ball in
the streets in Amsterdam

cause that's all we did was play soccer

International football, it's the best,
and you guys have an opportunity

to step in the field and represent
your country, in a FIFA event

The biggest sporting event in the world,
and you guys are part of this

Wow, that's pretty cool

(CLASSICAL MUSIC)

We win the little battles, we win the war,
and it will be war for 90 minutes

We respect them, we don't fear them

We kick their ass, it's peace afterwards

ALEX: If you run out of breath, reach inside,
pull your lungs out

and then breathe on it after,
then stick it back inside

RAWLSTON: It's not one person
who's gonna do this

Together we can do anything; we're Samoan,
we can do anything

NICKY: I wanna win a game If we win,
I will die as a happy person

(WHISTLE BLOWS)

THOMAS: Organise, deep breath Focus

Pull over Jaiyah Good Jaiyah, good Jaiyah!

Up, up, up, Rawley! Get a hold of the ball,
well done, good start boys

(CROWD GROANS)

(CROWD NOISE)

Good Jaiyah

Go Shalom Go Shalom!

Go Ramin! Go Ramin!

(CROWD CHEERS IMMENSELY)

(CHEERING AND WHISTLING)

(TRIUMPHANT AND EMOTIONAL MUSIC)

(HALF TIME WHISTLE AND CLAPPING)

Come on Daru, strong

Go on Rawley, go on Rawley,
go on Rawley Go

(CROWD CHEERING)

Uasi, defend!

Shalom Suani behind you,
Suani behind you Suani

(CROWD CHEERING)

(ECSTATIC CHEERING)

(FINAL WHISTLE BLOWS)

(LOUD CHEERING)

(EMOTIONAL MUSIC)

THOMAS: Never won a game, we win, we score

To me, this is gonna be
part of soccer history

Just like the 31 nothing against
Australia was part of history

We got two more games to play you know,
maybe we have a chance to do

something special beyond this one game,
but let's enjoy this one right now

(CHANTING)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

RAMIN: So happy, I can't explain
it right now I'm elated

It's a good feeling to finally win a FIFA
World Cup qualifying game ever

It's a great feeling

I'm so happy right now,
I gotta go call the wife

SHALOM: I was kinda hurt but I was
so happy during that time

My leg is kinda messed up but I sacrificed
my body to get that in the goal

NICKY: It's like a miracle
but it's not a miracle

I'm pulling off my hat
to all my team mates

that what I'm gonna say, it's very
emotional right now It's overwhelming

THOMAS: This is a real special moment,
and for me to be able to sit back

with my daughter's hat
on for the first time,

that my wife gave to me before the game

means to me a lot as well

This is probably
(EMOTIONAL)

my most rewarding, or most satisfying,
or most spiritual win, that I've had

They executed the game plan,
we were tough, we were hard

Defensively we were good, and if you have
to give an MVP, a man of the match

a woman of the match, it's probably Jaiyah,
that late, actually saves, at two one

throws her body in front of the ball
with an unbelievable block tackle

otherwise the game might have
turned out differently

She was incredibly nervous,
I had to really calm her down

Actually I said "Gail, maybe a girl to girl
talk would really help" and actually it did

I don't think that the players,
the organisation,

really understands the magnitude

and I told them, if we ever get a victory,
this is world news

Anybody not familiar with the New York Times?
The biggest newspaper in the world

That pretty much sums it up I want
you to look at Gene's face

who didn't play a minute,
look at that face

That's victory, that's celebration,
and that's a warrior

That's who we are, right

(APPLAUSE)

(BBC NEWS THEME MUSIC)

LARRY: We were maybe shocked
more than anything

We had to make sure that it was actually
real and that the whistle did blow

and that the actual you know, game was
ended and the score was correct

NEWS READER: How have
you managed to pull it off?

I mean when was the
tipping point in the training,

or the team spirit,
that made this happen for you?

You know, I think it happened about
three weeks ago with the enlistment

of Thomas Rongen from the
US Soccer Federation

(PIANO MUSIC)

America Samoa having won
their first ever international

in 17 years, it's history, it's huge

(NEWS READER I N ENGL I SH)

Nicky Salapu the goalkeeper
from the 2001 qualifiers

for him to come back and play
in this qualifier, that's a lot of guts

and he led by example and, I think the
other team should take notice

Especially Samoa

THOMAS: I think the team senses
now that we have a chance

With this victory, with the belief, with more
games, this team is gonna get better

THOMAS: That's all we want right now,
get into the third game,

and having something to play for

If we can find our rhythm, if late
in the game it's tight, a tie

one point is still
a good result for us as well

One point will definitely get
you in the championship

and give everything to play for

MATCH OFFICIAL: Ladies
and gentlemen FIFA, OFC

and the Federation Football Soccer
of Samoa and the people of Samoa

welcome you to this match of the 2014
FIFA World Cup Brazil qualifiers

..between American Sam o a
and the C o o k I s I ands.

(CHANTING)

(UPBEAT MUSIC)

(C O MMENTAT O R I N SAM O AN)

(CHEERING)

(FULL TIME WHISTLE BLOWS)

Our hard work is paying off right now,
we're looking good so far

Last game will determine who will be
the champs for this tournament

So one more game One more game

(CRICKETS)

THOMAS: You've won one and you've tied one
The whole world is talking about you

I can't be happier that you were able
to put yourself in a position

to play for something special now, that
final phase of World Cup qualifying

This is for real, this is the real stuff

In soccer we have great rivalries,
Manchester City against Man United

Real Madrid, Barcelona
Inter Milan, AC Milan

~
This is in Espanol, this is a classico

(CLASSICAL MUSIC)

LARRY: We have you know,
two countries very close,

relatives on both sides of these two teams

We all know each other, we've all played
against each other, with each other

It's a lot man

TAVITA: We always stay under
the shadow of Samoa

but now we prove it to them
our boys can beat them too

(RAMBO IN SAMOAN)

(CLAPPING)

(JR IN SAMOAN)

(CHANTING)

Every day, every night, we sing, you know
(EMOTIONAL)

And when it comes to this kind of stuff
you know, I can feel it in my heart

I wish I'm in there,
in the field, fighting with them

Nobody believe that
we can come this far

to play in the Championship
for the first stage

All that I ask is that, just believe

Believe they can do it

Whatever they throw at us,
we throw it back harder

They tackle harder, we tackle harder

They strike harder, we strike harder

(TEAM CHANT AND CLAP)

(WHISTLE)

(C O MMENTAT O R I N SAM O AN)

Keep your lines up Rawley, get your lines up

Good Jaiyah

(REFEREE WHISTLE)

Come on Rambo

(REFEREE WHISTLES AND CROWD BOOS)

Oh referee

(CHEERING)

We are exactly where we wanted to be,
so relax, I'm fine with this

Some tough moments, but again

you've weathered the storm,
you didn't give up a goal

They've been better, but when this game wears
on longer, it will be in our favour, alright

Champions games are never easy
guys, they're never easy

In the second half it's just the team
that's the smartest alright

and who wants it the most,
and I know it's gonna be us

(ENERGETIC MUSIC)

Go Shalom!

Up JR Up JR Up JR

CROWD: Ohhh!

No foul, no foul

Go Diamond

SUPPORTER: Oh, good try

Ohhh!

Go go Diamond go, go, go, go

CROWD: Ohhh!

(CROWD CHEERING)

(CROWD CHEERING)

(CHEERS AND CLAPS
FADE INTO SORROWFUL MUSIC)

I'm so proud of this team

What you can do today is walk off
the field with your heads held high

Be very proud what you have
done for your country

Don't ever forget that

Guys, I've won championships
with a lot of teams,

I have more respect for all of you guys

then I have done for most of
the teams I've coached for

I want to thank you
very much for this pretty

(CLEARS THROAT AND HOLDS BACK TEARS)

pretty awesome experience, alright

Let's get in, alright Let's do let's be
proud of where we came from, alright

ACE: Hands up

THOMAS: Hey, heads up We win together, we
lose together We suffer together, alright

One, two, three American Samoa!

(RAMBO IN ENGLISH)

(TEAM SINGING IN SAMOAN)

(CHANTING)

THOMAS: I love you guys

TAVITA: I feel it's a moment of happiness

It brings something else into our
community, in our association

It's more bonding now

(CRYING)

I feel that Thomas helped us a lot

and we cannot reward him
for what he did for the boys

I hug him, you know, I say to Thomas

I thank you very much
for what you did to the team

NICKY: After the game yesterday
I buried everything

Whatever happens, like you know Australia,
South Pacific games

I'm gonna go back to Seattle,

no more stress, no more
heavy thing carrying on my back

It's like everything, it's all gone

I think right now I'm a free man
It feels really good

JAIYAH: I want to
inspire people who are like me,

to just go out
and do what they love to do

Do it to the best of their ability

Don't let people stop them from, you know
going after their dreams

and just keep pushing,
no matter what people say

ACE: I always remember that day
Australia beat us 31 nil

Now I was part of this team that accomplished
its first victory against Samoa

and it's something I will never
forget in my whole life

It's very powerful

THOMAS: There was maybe one or two articles
on the OFC and the FIFA website of who'd

beat American Samoa the worst, you know,
that might win the trophy

at the end of the day, and that was
really what was written about us

And now the reverse was just incredible

Great for this island, great for
these players, great for soccer in general

Because it was done by a bunch of amateurs
that play the game for love and passion

It was as pure as it can get

There's a strong correlation,
obviously with losing a child

and you know gaining 23 other children

The last time I cried was probably
at her funeral, I haven't cried since so

I think I did cry here a few times

You know, I'm not healed, but I've become
a better person

without a doubt,
with the help of this island

If I get back Stateside and there's some
interest of some first division teams

and you get again in that environment,
do you become a conformist?

And does the game
go and roll with the punches

and the punches there is basically
you have to win at all costs

I'd be very interested to see how I would
now manage by frankly going forth

But it actually makes me a little more hungry
to see if I can take some

of these things that I've learned here, and
bring to the highest professional settings

Can I manage players a little bit differently
and better than I've done in the past

and still hit their
love and passion for the game?

Yeah I think I can

I'll carry this with me the rest of my life

(CHANTING)

LARRY: I think now that people have
understood that there is

actually soccer here, we'll actually
have two-way traffic

Instead of kids leaving here
to go through the military,

or going off island to go to school

we'll get them back to actually
participate in this sport

TAVITA: It's something that motivates
our young players

we're no longer
the worst team in the world

America Samoa!
(CHANTING)

Rawlston!

Justin!

Thomas!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

RAWLSTON:
This is one of those life changing things

I actually never even considered
coming back to Samoa

besides my grandfather having land here

and me wanting to
build a home here, you know

I have friends, family here now

which is more incentive, more, yeah it's
more of a reason for me to come back

So hopefully it's sooner than later
We'll see what happens yeah

RAMIN: It was more than what I expected

Nobody expected us to win the game,
to tie a game Almost beat Samoa

We fought like warriors and we made everybody
believe that we're here to compete

(JAIYAH IN ENGLISH)

Anything is possible today You know,
this week shows that and proves that

We don't know where else this takes us

For us it's actually the starting point,
so we'll see what happens

It's not goodbye, it's we'll see you later

Right as we say in Dutch, Tot Ziens,
And we will return again!

Alright, Ciao!

(UPLIFTING, EMOTIONAL MUSIC)

I will continue checking the FIFA ranking

and instead of checking it
from the bottom

as I usually do when I check the ranking

I think I'm going to change it
and start from the top

NICKY: I just wanna rematch,
that's what I wanna do

If it's ten nothing, at least we're bringing
down the score that much

I wanna go challenge against them again

One more time, before I die (LAUGHS)

JAIYAH: I'll have to call up Dolce & Gabbana
and you know, Gucci

to see if they have a dress for me,
and some shoes (LAUGHS)

Have to rent a dress (LAUGHS)
for the red carpet premiere