In 2011, American Samoa was ranked dead-last in the FIFA International Rankings. The Pacific Island has 55,000 people, and very few resources to put towards soccer. They called for help, and coach Thomas Rongen came to help. It was so bad, he was told to bring 20 soccer balls with him so they could train properly. The story of the team working towards winning their first game is absolutely inspiring, and is told brilliantly by one of our favorite documentaries, Next Goal Wins, with has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 100%. It is now being made into a theatrical movie, set to release in 2021. Thomas was a delight to interview. Listen in as he shares his experience, and the personal growth he went through.Find Thomas at-The beach! :) Thomas has social accounts, like this one, but doesn't use them much. Message us here, and we'll pass it along!Special love to-Some of the players, like goalkeeper Nicky Salapu, fa'afafine Jaiyah Saelua, and Shalom Luani, who went on to play in the NFL!
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