Halfway through the movie, we’re introduced to Sepp Blatter. Blatter comes into FIFA in 1975 as the low man on the FIFA totem pole and was hired because he is good at “finding money.” Keep in mind, once Blatter is introduced in the film, this stops being a movie about the history of FIFA and becomes a movie about how Sepp Blatter went from the bottom to the top of FIFA and how everyone else around him was evil. The history of FIFA, post 1975, would become secondary to Blatter’s storyline. Blatter introduces corporate sponsorships to keep FIFA afloat. First Coca-Cola and then Adidas enter as FIFA sponsors.
A three or so minute montage went through the 80’s and early 90’s showcasing all the great things FIFA did in terms of expanding the game into Africa and Asia and adding the Women’s World Cup. Within this montage that consists of upbeat music, we see Blatter standing over the casket of Adidas executive, Horst Dassler. Dassler was the one who worked with Blatter to make Adidas a FIFA sponsor. No expanation of his death was given in the movie (he died of cancer). Just such an out of place shot for a montage like that that really didn’t need to be in the movie in the first place.
When Blatter becomes FIFA President in 1998, he lays down the law when it comes to corruption in FIFA. This is Blatter’s speech in the movie, note the irony:
“Now, the next tournament will take place in both South Korea and Japan, far from Europe. Some of you may feel that this is a good opportunity to close lucrative deals with certain lobbyists. Think again. This sport is spotless. There is simply a lot more money involved in ours. Which is why, from now on, we will be exemplary in all respects. The slightest breach of ethics will be severely punished.”
Yes, that is actually in the movie. I only wish there was a laugh track.
Blatter keeps talking about FIFA as a “family.” And in a way, it is like a family. I would say it’s closer to a mob family but a family nonetheless.
In 2002, FIFA doesn’t have enough money to pay FIFA members. Yes, the same organization who negotiated billions of dollars in sponsorship, TV and stadium revenue, in addition to whatever money we don’t know about, doesn’t have the money to pay FIFA members. I have seen people who are poor and someone who is in charge of an organization that is getting paid seven figures a year, isn’t even close to being poor.
After information regarding corruption and bribery, Blatter must defend himself of any wrongdoing. Of course, it’s everyone else within FIFA who are guilty but not Blatter. The climax of the movie is actually Blatter overcoming the odds and being re-elected as FIFA President in 2002. SERIOUSLY, THAT’S THE ENDING!
Well, after the ending, there’s an epilogue back on the dirt lot with the following (self-serving) speech to close the movie.
“In over 100 years of existence. This federation, born of a dream, has survived two World Wars and unprecedented economic crisis and made football the most played sport on our planet. If anyone had told us that one day, FIFA would have over 200 member associations in it’s ranks. More than the UN. That people of all races and origins would play together. If we had known that women would fall in love with this game and end up filling entire stadiums. That football would be played in gymnasiums and schools. That people would listen to the sound of the ball. That this ball would bounce to every corner. And that it would leave its imprint on the history of mankind. Well, who would’ve believed this?”
All in all, this was one of the most self gratifying movies I have ever seen. The movie was originally going to be made without FIFA backing but when it ran into money issues, FIFA stepped in to pay for almost all of the making of the movie. Obviously when that happened, the filmmaker kind of has to play by FIFA’s rules. This is why I’m not hammering on Director, Frederic Auburn and stars Tim Roth, Gerard Depardieu and Sam Neill. It’s not their fault that they had to make this FIFA vanity, propaganda project when they were under the impression it would be such a different movie. This is all about how FIFA thinks that they can trot this out and expect all of us to gaze in awe at everything they have done for soccer in the world and just completely ignore all of the lies, bribery and corruption that they have been doing for decades. There may have been a time where people were that naive but not 2014. It’s just like what John Oliver said in the clip below, “Who makes a sports film where the heroes are the executives?” Apparently FIFA does, that’s who. And this “nonprofit organization” who according to the movie, couldn’t pay their members 12 years ago, spent more money on that than I wish I could possibly attempt to ever spend in my lifetime.
