Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Next Goal Wins was a 2014 British documentary film directed by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison. The film chronicles the national football team of American Samoa now made into a movie 2023 by renowned Hollywood Director Taika Waititi, and co written with Iaim Morris.

The first ever premiere of the movie was shown this week on July 3, 2023 at the Nu’uuli Place Cinemas, where Taika Waititi himself was present for the introduction of the film for the friends and family of the 2011 FFAS soccer team featured in the movie.

The story in the 2014 documentary as well as the 2023 movie focuses around Jaiyah Lei Saelua who is a member of the Society Of Fa’afafine in American Samoa (SOFIAS). She is the first openly transgender woman to compete in a FIFA World qualifier.

Jaiyah was born July 19, 1988 to Fiu Johnny Saelua and Cathy Aigamaua Sarlua. Jaiyah is the fourth child out of five daughters and she along with her younger sister Mikaele Saelua both identify as transgender women.

Saelua is an alumni of the South Pacific International Christian Center (SPICC) school in Fatu ma Futi, American Samoa. This is where she fell in love with the sport of Soccer (Football), and was named MVP in 2001 and was then recruited for the Senior level team of American Samoa at the age of 14. Jaiyah’s love of the game grew even more when she became a student at Leone High School and joined the Lions Soccer team.

Saelua is featured in the 2014 documentary Next Goal Wins. The movie version of Next Goal Wins feature’s Kaimana, an actor who is also a fa'afafine, as Saelua.

The film captures the team’s resilience in the face of defeats to keep playing as Coach Rongen seeks to lead the major underdogs all the way in qualifying for the World Cup. A shining example of how sports aren't simply about competition and domination, but about camaraderie, self-discovery, and love of people and fellow team mates.

Next Goal Wins also shines a beautiful light on Faafafine. There was a lot of respect and love shown by the players in the movie for their fellow Faafafine team member, Jaiyah Saelua. Which is true as Jaiyah herself attests. We, as Fa’afafine can also attest to this in our day to day lives, as we all are a part of a team of all forms and are well respected by our Polynesian community members who we share space with in our teams and as a community.

Jaiyah, SOFIAS would like to join your family and friends in saying, we are so PROUD OF YOU. You have definitely helped educate and show the world who we are as humans and as a community.

“Fa’afafine are the flowers of our world,” as the actor playing Tevita Taumua says in “Next Goal Wins”.