Many of us could name who we believe is the greatest soccer player, manager, or goalkeeper for every nation, club, or league. However, not many of us recognize the people who follow them throughout their careers and teach us about their captivating lives and stories. There are many journalists out there who have dedicated their lives to capturing the best moments of the beautiful game. They catch every match win and loss so that we don’t have to – and share with us all of the highs and lows. Best of all, they are the ones who can name all of the historical moments that have shaped soccer into what it is today.

For those who don’t know Grant Wahl, Wahl was considered to be the most renowned American soccer journalist of our time. Unfortunately, Wahl passed away after he was stricken during the Netherlands-Argentina quarter-final match at the 2022 World Cup. He traveled to Qatar to cover the World Cup, but tragically passed due to a ruptured blood vessel. This was the eighth World Cup that he was covering, and he was awarded for his contribution to journalism while at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

The Billion Dollar Goal Docuseries

Paramount Plus’s newest docuseries ‘The Billion Dollar Goal’, is a three-part series that follows the captivating story of American soccer, from its origins in immigrant communities to its current global status.

Narrated by Grant Wahl, he teaches viewers about the history of American soccer and how players like Pele and the 1950’s World Cup match between America and the UK sparked national attention. The series culminates with Paul Caligiuri’s goal in 1989 – the billion dollar goal – that propelled the USA out of its 40-year World Cup qualification drought. Wahl was a supervising producer for the series, and unveils the untold story of the sport’s struggle for recognition in a nation where they were skeptical of whether or not soccer could grow.

With never-before-seen archival footage and expert interviews of Wahl and friends, the docuseries shines a spotlight on the numerous setbacks, failed attempts to spark interest, and the dedicated players who never lost faith in bringing the beautiful game to America. It’s considered that Caligiuri’s goal was a moment that changed the trajectory of soccer in America forever.

The Billion Dollar Goal series is now streaming on Paramount Plus, nearly a year after Wahl’s passing. You can watch the trailer for the exciting new docuseries here.

Looking for more soccer dedicated series’ to binge watch? Check out our list of our favorite soccer TV shows that we recommend for fans of the sport! Let us know in the comments which one’s are your favorite.