Dribbling Fate (1998): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1998, Dribbling Fate is a drama film directed by Fernando Vendrell, running about 77 minutes.

What it’s about. Life has moved too fast for Mane. at the age of 50 he watches the slow sacrifice of his ideals. His wife, Lucy, has locked him in to a daily routine. His work in a small commercial shop and grocer's has worn him out. His dreams have evaporated into the drought of the beaten earth of Mindelo. Now forgotten, with his past as a great football player for Mindelense, in St Vincent in Cape Verde, he only has the belated compassion of his friends, neighbours, and cafe companions: "He was important", "He was the keeper in Cape Verde", "He could have played for Benfica!" Mane rejects the loss of his status as a hero. When training a youth team he sees himself again in KALU, a rebellious but talented youth. He is guided by a whirlwind of thoughts; he was also young, had opportunities, felt the sting of love and wasted his flame. A beaten leather ball shines in his hands once again, Benfica, his club, calls him to the Portuguese Cup Final.

Who’s in it. Dribbling Fate stars Carlos Germano as Mane, Benita Lopes as Lucy, Paulo Miranda as Kalu and Sílvia Rizzo as Belinha, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.7/10, Dribbling Fate has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Dribbling Fate page.

If you liked it. Fans of Dribbling Fate tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.