Next Goal Wins: what happened to the America Samoa Football team after the events of Taika Waititi’s movie?

The dogged efforts of what was considered “the worst footballing country to be affiliated with FIFA,” America Samoa, is the subject of Kiwi director Taika Waitit’s latest film, “Next Goal Wins,” which opens in UK cinemas across the sleep festive season between Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Perfect timing it would seem for an uplifting story of hope, even if history demonstrates that the team in question needed more than a miracle to qualify for the 2014 World Cup.

This was the team after all that conceded 31 goals in a single game when they played Australia in the qualifying stages for the 2004 World Cup, still considered the biggest defeat in a competitive international match to this day. It was at that point officials in America Samoa decided something needed to change - as did FIFA, who introduced a preliminary round in the Oceanian zone qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. To address the unbalanced level of opponents, Australia moved to the Asian Football Confederation in 2006. 

The movie "Next Goal Wins" tells the story of Thomas Rongen (played by Michael Fassbender), a former manager of several Major League Soccer teams. In 2011, Rongen was appointed as the head coach of American Samoa. He trained the team both physically and mentally for three weeks, and on November 22, 2011, American Samoa won its second-ever victory against Tonga in the 2014 World Cup qualification. Thanks to Rongen's leadership, American Samoa reached the rank of 173 in the FIFA World Rankings.

But when the cameras fade, the credits start to roll and the lights in the cinema are raised, you might be wondering to yourself “So what happened next to the America Samoa football team, and what about Thomas Rogen himself?” NationalWorld are here to unfortunately reveal the fate of the America Samoa National Football team post-”Next Goal Wins.” 

What is America Samoa’s overall record in competitive football matches?

None too impressive as you can imagine: in 55 competitive games throughout the history of America Samoa’s national football team, they have won four, drawn two and lost 68 competitive matches. One of those matches, the game against Tahiti at the 1987 South Pacific Games, did not take place - as neither team were up for any of the medals ultimately.

Have America Samoa ever qualified for an international competition?

Sadly not - the team had failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup since their affiliation with the footballing body in 1998. The team haven’t had much luck in the OFC Nations Cup, the Oceanic equivalent to the European Championship or the Copa America. Where the team have qualified though is the Pacific Games, however, even there the team’s record isn’t good - out of 25 games across their history in the competition, they’ve won once, drawn once, lost 23 times and have had 179 goals scored against them in the competition.

What happened to the manager, Thomas Rongen?

After his involvement with the American Samoa national football team, Thomas Rongen continued his career in various coaching and managerial roles. He transitioned to a role as the director of TFC Academy before the 2012 season, joining fellow countrymen Aron Winter and Bob de Klerk at Toronto FC. In December 2014, Rongen took on the position of head coach for the Tampa Bay Rowdies. However, his tenure with the Rowdies came to an end when he was fired, along with General Manager/President Farrukh Quraishi, on August 21, 2015.

In late 2016, Rongen's career took another turn as he was hired by Bruce Arena to serve as the head international scout for the United States national team program. This role showcased his continued involvement and influence in the world of soccer, contributing to the development and scouting efforts of the U.S. national team.

When is “Next Goal Wins” out in the United Kingdom?

“Next Goal Wins” opens in cinemas on December 26 2023 across the United Kingdom