Movie set to tell life story of ex-Earthquakes and USMNT striker Wondolowski

• Movie to be made about striker
• Retired in 2021 as MLS all-time leading scorer
• No director attached yet

WHAT HAPPENED? Speaking to the Athletic, Wondolowski discussed the upcoming film, which is set to be made by Gritty Film Productions. The movie will detail the striker's rise to becoming one of the best MLS has ever seen.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Wondolowski went from a Supplemental Draft pick out of Chico State University to a benchwarmer to, eventually, the leading scorer in MLS history with 171 goals, 26 more than Landon Donovan in second place. However, it wasn't without its down moments, as the striker's career was also the subject of much scrutiny after his infamous miss against Belgium at the 2014 World Cup.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

WHAT THEY SAID: “I definitely hope that my early years — high school and college, the first three or four years of playing — I really hope those are spotlighted, because I think that that kind of embodies my story in a sense,” Wondolowski said.

“I’d love to kind of shed the light of how I was balancing on the edge of a knife, whether I could continue or whether anyone wanted me to continue. I think it can also help, you know, shed some light on being able to recruit and that players slip through the cracks. You always can try to keep your dream and be able to have that journey, whichever way given the obstacles that come into that road.”

THE VERDICT: Since retirement, Wondolowski has kept a relatively low profile. The MLS legend stepped away from the game after the 2021 season, and his legacy is one that will be hard to match going forward.

WHAT NEXT? The project does not yet have a director or writer attached, but the hope is that the company can begin production soon to capitalize on interest in the 2026 World Cup.