More Than Football: Intercultural Learning and Social Awareness through The Beautiful Game in the EFL Classroom

Abstract

This paper discusses the pedagogical potential of film as a tool for fostering intercultural awareness in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom through the sports drama The Beautiful Game. Drawing on Byram’s framework of Intercultural Communicative Competence and perspectives from critical pedagogy, the paper explores how themes of dignity, marginalization, and social inclusion portrayed in the film can encourage meaningful cultural reflection among language learners. In particular, the narrative surrounding homelessness and participation in the Homeless World Cup provides a platform for discussing issues of discrimination, resilience, and social identity. The paper outlines several pedagogical strategies that teachers may employ when integrating film into language instruction, including pre-viewing activities that activate students’ background knowledge, guided viewing tasks that support comprehension, and post-viewing discussions that encourage critical reflection. These activities allow students to engage with authentic language while also examining the broader social themes presented in the film. By connecting language learning with socially relevant topics, film-based instruction can promote empathy, intercultural understanding, and critical thinking in the classroom. The discussion suggests that sports cinema can function as a valuable multimodal resource in EFL education, supporting culturally responsive teaching practices and contributing to the broader goal of developing globally aware learners.