One World Cup berth. One war-torn nation. Zero fairy tales.
October 8, 2005. Togo, one of Africa's poorest countries, qualifies for the World Cup for the first time in its history. The achievement is not only historic; it also hastens the end of the bloody civil war that has been ravaging the country for several months. On the eve of the World Cup opening in Germany, hopes are high in Lomé, the capital of Togo, that the national team will restore pride and prosperity to an entire people. However, disillusionment quickly sets in. The team had not even entered the competition when it was already beset by endless internal problems. What if soccer, in the end, was nothing more than a reflection of the deep-seated problems that have been plaguing Africa for years?
Direction
Patient observation lets chaos speak for itself.
Writing
No narrator needed—the interviews do devastating work.
Director
Pierre Morath
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Togo's 2006 squad became the first to demand World Cup bonuses upfront—a precedent that changed how FIFA handles African federations' finances.
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