Zoey Deutch Takes the Field in Netflix’s U.S. Women’s Soccer Drama THE 99’ERS
Netflix is gearing up to tell one of the most important sports stories ever put on screen, and it’s found its lead. Zoey Deutch has officially signed on to star in The 99’ers, a new U.S. Women’s Soccer drama headed to the streamer and directed by Emmy winner Nicole Kassell.
In the film, Deutch will play Marla Messing, the forward-thinking U.S. Women’s Soccer executive who helped engineer the historic 1999 World Cup tournament. That event didn’t just crown champions, it shattered attendance records, dominated TV ratings, and changed how the world viewed women’s sports. It’s a big role with real weight behind it, and Deutch feels like a smart choice to anchor the story.
This project also marks another reunion between Deutch and Netflix. She recently starred as Jean Seberg in Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague, which earned her an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Performance. She’s also appeared in Set It Up opposite Glen Powell and has the upcoming rom-com Voicemails for Isabelle on the way.
People We Meet on Vacation star Emily Bader is also part of the cast, stepping into the cleats of soccer icon Mia Hamm. The film pulls its inspiration from Jeré Longman’s 2000 HarperPerennial book The Girls of Summer: The U.S. Women’s Soccer Team and How It Changed the World, and zeroes in on that unforgettable summer of 1999.
The story follows the 1990s U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team as they battle all expectations and face China in a nerve-shredding penalty kick shootout during the World Cup final.
Played under brutal heat in front of 93,000 fans, the match drew millions of viewers worldwide and ended with a victory that reshaped the future of women’s athletics. That moment didn’t fade with time. It became a cultural milestone.
The screenplay comes from a stacked group of writers including Katie Lovejoy, Dana Stevens, and Peter Hedges, with Jill Mazursky and Jamee Decio credited as the first writers on the project.
Outside of The 99’ers, Deutch has been busy. She was recently in Park City supporting Celebrity Sex Pass, a Sundance comedy directed by David Wain, where she stars alongside Jon Hamm and John Slattery.
The 99’ers isn’t just about winning a championship. It’s about visibility, belief, and a group of women who forced the sports world to pay attention. With Deutch leading the charge and Kassell at the helm, this Netflix film has a real shot at doing justice to a story that still hits hard decades later.
