STO Soccer Film Review: Kicking It

Kicking It is a 2008 documentary by Susan Koch and Jeff Werner about seven homeless people and their journey to South Africa for the 2006 Homeless World Cup.

Yes, you read that correctly, there is a real Homeless World Cup and you would be surprised by the skills these players have. More so, you would be inspired by their touching journeys to make better lives for themselves. 

500 players from 48 nations were eventually selected to play in the 2006 Homeless World Cup. The otherwise overlooked members of our society featured in the documentary came from all corners of the globe, including Afghanistan, Kenya, Ireland, Spain, Russia, and the United States.  

International film star Colin Farrell narrates the film quite well.

This documentary teaches us that just because someone is homeless, that does not mean he/she is hopeless. Soccer can’t end global homelessness any more than it can cure cancer. But it can draw attention to the plight of the homeless and it can make us think a little harder the next time we see someone on the streets and write him or her off as a bum with no identity.

Overall, the message of Kicking It is clear: Whether the homeless win or lose their match, they are winning in life because they are committing themselves to something.

While they won’t go on to play professionally, they will better themselves and increase their chances of escaping their plight of poverty. It’s a good film, and I recommend you see it.