Aahana Swrup
Charting a tale about second chances and new beginnings, ‘The Beautiful Game’ is a sports drama film that revolves around the Homeless World Cup, which brings together the global football community to tackle homelessness. The film focuses on Vincent “Vinny” Walker, a pro athlete whose life spirals out of control after his football career leads to a dead-end. Consequently, the man finds himself separated from his wife and daughter, living in his car. Yet, life offers him another shot at success when Mal Bradley, the manager of the country’s homeless Football Team, approaches Vinny and offers him a spot on the team.
As the players venture into Rome for the tournament, Vinny struggles to reconcile with his situation and appreciate the opportunity for what it is. As such, his perspective remains laced with themes of camaraderie and hope, setting the tone for the entire narrative. However, Vinny’s position as a former pro footballer may lead viewers to wonder about the character’s possible roots in real life.
Vinny Walker Draws Inspiration From Real Stories
Although ‘The Beautiful Game’ draws inspiration for its premise and themes from real-world stories of the Homeless World Cup, the film doesn’t directly base its narrative on any singular person or event. As such, the film’s protagonist, Vinny Walker, finds his inception as a blend of several real-life football players who participated in the HWC. Yet, one specific player stands out in their notable similarity to Vinny’s storyline.
Lisa Wrightsman, the Managing Director of the Street Soccer USA’s Sacramento Chapter, was once a player representing the USA at the 2010 Homeless World Cup in Rio de Janeiro. With a football career in California’s Sacramento State, Wrightsman was expected to go pro in her career. For the same reason, once the dream crumbled, it took the player’s future down with it, sending her into a spiral of unhealthy coping mechanisms like alcohol and drugs.
Although the woman struggled with her situation for some time, she decided to bring a change into her life at 29 and sought sobriety. At the same time, Wrightsman was in transitional housing, where some of her fellow residents extended her an invite to the street soccer tournament. “It was really raw and really authentic, and lots of people were owning their lives and not being afraid to move forward, and that was really inspiring,” she said of the experience. “It motivated me to want to go forward.” Street Soccer USA— where the former player now works— held these games as a non-profit organization that has been working with people affected by the housing crises or addiction since 2009.
Following her first game with the organization in 2010, Wrightsman found her athletic career rekindling— specifically after her participation in the Homeless World Cup. Thus, Wrightsman holds undeniable similarities to Vinny’s on-screen storyline, suggesting the latter likely drew instrumental inspiration from the woman.
In fact, Wrightsman, who collaborated with the film’s creative team, even spoke about the film’s “dead on” depiction of a story akin to her lived experiences. “We’re just this motley crew,” she told Today. “People that nobody wanted, and so we kind of head down go into this tournament.”
Additionally, Director Thea Sharrock was persistent about maintaining realism within the film, made with the support of the Homeless World Cup, which intrinsically infuses the narrative with a sense of authenticity. Likewise, she also equipped real-life football players who participated in the HWC in the past to be a part of the film as background football players. Consequently, within ‘The Beautiful Game’s’ fictionalized narrative, Vinny finds realistic roots in reality through his connection to Wrightsman.
Lisa Wrightsman Played a Key Role In HWC 2023 Tournament
A year after her participation at the Homeless World Cup, Lisa Wrightsman went on to become a coach for Sacramento’s Lady Salamanders team. The woman also began her recovery journey, which helped her cross paths with her future wife, Tiffany Fraser, a volunteer at Street Soccer USA. Although Fraser was another Sacramento State student, the two women managed to pass each other by in their college days, finally entering each others’ lives in 2011. Eventually, the couple married in 2019.
As mentioned earlier, Wrightsman serves as the Managing Director of the Street Soccer USA these days, working for the same organization that helped her turn her life around. In 2023, the former player faced a significant undertaking as the Homeless World Cup came to Sacramento, USA, for its annual Tournament. It was the first one since COVID imposed a brief pause on the games after 2019. Similarly, Wrightsman will be traveling to Seoul, South Korea, in November of this year for the 2024 tournament.
Thus, Wrightsman remains connected to the world of HWC in her professional life through coaching and managing alongside sharing her inspirational story to instill a sense of hope in whoever needs it. The former player continues to express her love for the football sport and faces the trials, tribulations, and celebrations of life— with her wife, Fraser, and two adorable dogs— by her side. For updates about her life, fans can follow her social media accounts, where she recently praised ‘The Beautiful Game’ for its depiction of the HWC.
Read More: The Beautiful Game: Where Was Netflix’s Sports Movie Filmed?
