Fun and funny British soccer film Mike Bassett, England Manager is worth a look for soccer and non-soccer fans alike.

A well-done mockumentary (like dog show satire Best in Show), the movie details the travails of the hapless coach of the English soccer team headed towards the World Cup.

I saw it as part of a British film fest (in Toronto) and the largely British audience seemed to enjoy their country's athletic misadventures, but esp. when they avenged Argentina's "hand of God" goal.

[ July 24, 2002: Message edited by: canmark ]

Looks like a hoot but I don't quit get the send up of [quote]..Brazilian girls turning out to be boys.

---

The German fans also mocked the Brazilian players by dressing as women who looked like the Brazilian soccer team in drag during the world cup.

Is this just the usual teasing, suggesting an opponent is a sissy, or is it addressed at something specifically about the Brazilian soccer team? Maybe a reference to their skill at taking a dive.

[quote]Bassett and his team of allsorts are further hampered by drunken arrests, forgotten balls and Brazilian girls turning out to be boys.

---

This is just a minor scene: In the movie the World Cup is taking place in Brazil. Pele himself has a small speaking role, and Ronaldo makes a cameo appearance. One of the English players thinks he's picking up a female prostitute, but she turns out to be male.