Can’t get enough of the United States Men’s National Soccer Team? Neither can HBO.
Deadline reported that the directors and producers of U.S. AGAINST THE WORLD: FOUR YEARS WITH THE MEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM followed them through the World Cup and wants to turn the footage into something more.
“We were on the inside, so we have a very good idea of what was really going on,” Rand Getlin, who co-directed the series with Luke Korver, told Deadline. “There was a narrative that exists in the ether about how this all went down, and then there’s how it really went down. Our job is to peel back the layers when we put out whatever the output is and tell the truth about what happened.”
Getlin has been working closely with the network and streamer.
“We’ll obviously take on board their perspective and try to get to a place where we both feel really good about what we’re putting out into the world,” he added. “We’ll continue those conversations with them, and it could be one of those things where we do a lot more with HBO, and it could be one of those things where we continue telling the story with another partner.”
Getlin continued, “You could do a feature film on this ride and that could be unbelievably powerful or it could be unbelievably powerful as part of a broader series at a later date. You could imagine us doing something in advance of the Copa América to get the country fired up about that. There’s just so many different ways to create something that moves people. There’s just a tremendous amount of story to tell in this space, and our goal has always been to do it forever.”
Belgium knocked out the United States from the World Cup on July 6. Throughout the United States’ run, it appeared the team depended on prayer to inspire and unify them in both victory and defeat.
Related: USMNT Goalie Matt Freese Overcomes Past Failures for Historic World Cup Start
“Although it starts out as a moment of prayer, it invites people into what this team is about,” Mark McKenzie told The Athletic. “It’s about love, it’s about togetherness, it’s about welcoming people. It doesn’t matter what your background is, we are family.”
McKenzie said: “I had been kind of preparing myself for any way, shape or form I could contribute, any way that I could step into a bigger role. I’ve taken steps to try to be somebody who is glue for those around me, somebody who people can lean on, confide in and trust, and look to.”
McKenzie isn’t the only Christian on the field.
Christian Pulisic also told CBS: “I’ve had to continue to prove myself over and over again, but, as always, I reach out to God, and He gives me strength. With that behind me, nothing can stop me, really.”
Goalie Matt Freese told Sports Spectrum’s “What’s Up” podcast: “I always remind myself God’s got me. God’s looking over me and watching over me. … And I think this is a very big way faith has motivated me as well as guided my career and my soccer journey — is the fact that God’s given me so many opportunities in general. But to focus on soccer, God’s given me so many opportunities within this game and within my career.”
Sports Spectrum reported that this core group participates in Bible studies together and gather on the field in prayer.
Hopefully the footage will show just how much faith played a part in the players’ lives.
From Geltin’s perspective, it’s all about the inspiration these men bring.
“Look at Argentina when they won the last World Cup. It was insanity. There were people on top of light posts and…you see the joints cracking on the stadium. It’s woven into their soul,” he said. “We don’t have that here in the U.S. yet, but I would say the last four weeks is the closest we’ve ever gotten. The minute we do get over the hump as a footballing nation, and we do win something as massive as the World Cup, and I believe it’s only a matter of time, that will be the moment at which we can say we’ve arrived,” Geltin said.
Nothing can unite a nation like the power of God.
Read Next: USMNT Goalkeeper Has a Role to Play in God’s Kingdom
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
