The Champion (2024) review: Is the new Netflix sports drama worth watching?

Netflix's latest sports drama, The Champion, was released on the platform on July 12, 2024. The film is set in the glittering world of football and explores the internal struggles of two opposite characters - Diego and Alex. While Diego is a star footballer with anger issues, Alex is a psychology professor who has social anxiety.

The film is an intriguing drama with interesting enough characters to hook the audience for its short run time. However, despite the visual beauty and strong performances, The Champion has its flaws, especially in the final act.

Carlos Therón has directed the film, and it features an ensemble of talented stars, including Marcel Serrano, Dani Rovira, Pablo Chiapella, Luis Fernández, Cintia García, and Carlos Librado. Therón is known for having previously directed films like Fenómenas, Lo dejo cuando quiera (I Can Quit Whenever I Want), and Es por tu bien (It’s for Your Own Good).

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The Champion is an engaging drama

The film follows Diego (Marcel Serrano), an impulsive young superstar of the Atletico Madrid football club. He is banned from the club for headbutting another player on the field during a game.

To change Diego's behavior, his father and manager hire psychology professor Alex (Dani Rovira), who is a shy and reclusive person with social anxiety. He has a fear of crowds and likes to live a quiet and solitary life. This directly contrasts with loud, money-crazy, and fame-obsessed Diego. Fans mob the football player every time he goes out in public.

After reluctantly accepting the proposal to teach Diego, Alex realizes that the young footballer is dyslexic and subconsciously dealing with self-esteem issues. He also recognizes his many talents, such as spatial intelligence, that make him a genius on the field.

The two polar opposite men develop an unexpected bond. However, due to Diego's father's and manager's greed, Alex is fired, and Diego is sold to Manchester City without his knowledge.

The story concludes during the La Liga finale and Alex and Diego's perseverance will determine the outcome of the game and their lives.

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The Champion boasts solid performances

Viara Gómez Sánchez as Ceci (Image via IMDb)

The Champion is engaging and keeps viewers hooked on the screen for 106 minutes, and the biggest reason for that is the cast members' performances.

Marcel Serrano and Dani Rovira do most of the heavy lifting as Diego and Alex, respectively. Their characters are complex and give the talented actors moments to shine and show their skills. Marcel has the natural flamboyance and physique of a football star, whereas Dani's body language effectively communicates the crippling anxiety he endures every day.

The supporting actors, such as Pablo Chiapella, Luis Fernández, Cintia García, and Carlos Librado, have also done a commendable job.

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The third act of The Champion falls flat

The Champion is an unconventional film, and it focuses more on the hidden and more complicated life of a sportsperson that fans don't always see. The interesting part of the script is that the 'teacher' in the film is also dealing with issues, making him more human, unlike most saviors portrayed in such movies.

However, despite all the talent on and off camera, the film has its drawbacks. Most notably, the story falls flat in the third act as the villains are introduced. The bad guys, in the form of Diego's father and manager, are too obvious and on the nose.

The entire football match sequence of the climax, though brilliantly shot, is quite unconvincing. On deeper examination, it feels quite irresponsible as it shows heroism in an athlete's seemingly unnecessary decision to play the game despite injury.

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The Champion is not a traditional sports film but it's definitely worth a watch for its subtle drama. The film is available to stream on Netflix.