Everyone loves a good underdog story and Hollywood history is filled with them. Surprisingly, the underdog doesn’t always win in sports movies, despite the trope. Of course, there are plenty of great movies where the underdog does win, like the wonderful sports movies on this list.
(Image credit: Orion Pictures)
Hoosiers
There is no way to make this list without including possibly the most classic underdog story in film history, and one of the best sports movies ever, Hoosiers. The Gene Hackman-led movie about a small-town high school that takes home the Indiana state championship is an all-time great, and, of course, based on a true story.
(Image credit: Buena Vista Pictures)
Miracle
The 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team was never supposed to have a chance, especially against the big, bad Soviet Union, whose team was made up entirely of what amounted to professional players. The rag-tag group of college kids shocked the world when, led by the legendary coach Herb Brooks, beat the Soviets and eventually captured the gold medal. Miracle tells the story in amazing detail, with Kurt Russell as Brooks.
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)
Invictus
Invictus, starring Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon as legendary South African rugby captain Francois Pienaar tells the incredible story of the underdog Springboks (South African’s national team) in its amazing journey to winning the 1995 World Cup in their home country. What makes it an underdog story is that the whole tournament is played as the country is coming out of the apartheid era and bringing the country together seemed an impossible task, but it’s something the Springboks helped do.
(Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)
The Replacements
When the players of a pro football team go on strike, the league replaces them with
32 Sports Movies Where The Underdog Wins
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