In 1954, Richard (Peter Lohmeyer) returns to his German hometown after seven years as a prisoner of war. The years have taken their toll, and he fails to relate to his family -- particularly his soccer-loving son, Matthias (Louis Klamroth). Meanwhile, a journalist (Lukas Gregorowicz) and his wife head to Bern, Switzerland, to write about the World Cup. The stories of these strangers converge when they arrive in Bern, where they witness an uplifting German performance in a game against Hungary.