Upamanyu Biswas
The Spanish sports drama film ‘The Champion’ dives into the world of professional soccer through the eyes of a highly sought-after player named Diego, who runs afoul of disciplinary issues that lead to his suspension from on-field activities by his team, Atlético de Madrid. As the champions of La Liga, the top men’s soccer division in Spain, the club loses its faith in Diego and hires a psychology professor, Alex, to handle his antics and recalibrate his mindset. However, Alex is lonely himself, and the two end up bonding over their troubles, resulting in mutual growth and the ability to connect beyond just the professional capacity.
Led by director Carlos Therón, the Netflix film exposes the excesses of a star athlete’s life, the perils of youth, and the need for guidance in one’s life – especially when things get overwhelming. The two central characters start off in different places, with nothing to link their perspectives. However, over the course of the narrative, a bond is established as they manage to bridge some of their gaps and realize what it takes to understand someone who is worlds apart in their makeup. Set against the glamorous and exciting world of soccer, the origins of ‘The Champion’ come to the fore as questions arise on whether it is based on a true story.
The Champion Explores the Ups and Downs of a Soccer Player’s Career
Originally titled ‘El Campeón’ in Spanish, ‘The Champion’ revolves around fictional events and characters surrounding a real soccer club, Atlético de Madrid, in a screenplay penned by Joaquín Oristrell and Joan Gual. Throughout the narrative, the film highlights the rollercoaster of emotions that follows a top-division athlete whose brushes with positive and negative emotions can be fleeting at all times. Soon after being voted the best young European player, Diego’s life spirals out of control as his antics on the pitch incite the fury and rage of the club’s upper management, who are exasperated by his behavior. His high from his superstar status doesn’t last long before his wings are clipped.
Professional sports are full of instances of players getting carried away with their hype and never managing to achieve their potential in the finite time they have in their playing career. In the case of Diego, his problems stem from his lack of control over his anger issues and his inability to understand the flaws in his character. The arrival of Alex, the psychologist, manages only to irritate him further, as he is a loose cannon with no intention to put a stop to his self-destructive habits. However, his youth and immaturity contribute to his up-and-down ride through the professional environment, which never steadies into consistency,
The Champion Depicts a Player’s Abrasive Relationship With Club Hierarchy
The Carlos Therón directorial examines the interpersonal relationship between players, their agents, their parents, and their club’s management. Due to Diego’s fiery attitude, he regularly sparks a debate against all those involved in controlling and managing his life. This becomes the inciting incident within the film, as the protagonist gets into a fight with not just the opposition team but also his own. In 2005, two teammates of the Premier League team, Newcastle United – Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer – got into a fight with each other when their team was losing to Aston Villa. They were both red-carded by the referee for misconduct on the pitch.
Physical fights between teammates are rare but not unrealistic. In the case of Dyer and Bowyer, they had to apologize publicly at a press conference arranged by the club. Talking about the incident in 2022, Dyer told talkSPORT, “I said to him [Bowyer], ‘Pass me the ball’… obviously and a little bit more than that, then he said something back and we ended up walking towards each other, and the rest is history.” The two reconciled later and were punished by the Football Association and Newcastle United. Diego goes through a very similar scenario, illustrating the reality of such altercations and their subsequent consequences for players. Although an occasional occurrence, spilling over of emotions in matches is known to happen.
Psychology is a Vital Part of Modern-Day Sports
Alex’s brief to aid Diego in his rehabilitation off the pitch is reflective of the many tasks carried out by sports psychologists in today’s game. There have been numerous examples of players availing the services of the club’s in-house mental health specialists in times of a confidence drought or personal issues plaguing their psyche. One such case in the soccer world arose in 2022 when a Manchester United winger, Jadon Sancho, was reportedly utilizing the aid of the club’s psychologist to rebuild his confidence and undisclosed personal issues. The player transferred to United in 2021 and found adjusting to his new environment difficult, which was reflected in his performances.
According to claims, the men’s first-team manager, Erik Ten Hag, allowed Sancho to take a hiatus to the Netherlands for a short break with some of the club’s coaches and advisors. The intention was to restore the player’s lost form and regale him into performing at his best again. Ten Hag said, “That is what we’re doing now, trying to research and now we try to get him [Sancho] back there. It’s a combination of physical but also mental.” Similar efforts are made by the people close to Diego, who look to sweep his errant behavior under the carpet by helping him recover mentally through a psychological examination, albeit for show. Alex is brought in to alleviate whatever stress or insecurities have crept into the star player’s attitude.
The film dramatizes certain elements of the soccer world; however, for the most part, its depiction of the media-obsessed fans and the stardom generated by players among their supporters is fairly accurate. Due to the emotive and personal factors of sports, it can lead to dramatic offerings in real-life circumstances. In doing so, ‘The Champion’ taps into some well-constructed aspects of modern-day sports and how players deal with the immense pressure of juggling different parts of their lives – personal and public – all at once.
Read more: Best Sports Documentaries On Netflix
