“Ted Lasso” Finale: A Series Beyond Soccer

Soccer is full of incredible stories of overcoming and personal growth. Something similar happens with "Ted Lasso", because although it is a completely fictional series, the situations that its characters go through cannot be closer to reality. It was thanks to that human touch that the original production of Apple TV won the hearts of the audience.

Ted's path begins after being champion with a college football team. The particular celebration with his players had become news in the United States, and apparently that charisma ended up crossing borders to England. There, AFC Richmond, a Premier League club, decides to bet on him to be their coach, despite not having any experience in top-level clubs and less in soccer.

It is then that the protagonist, together with his always faithful friend and assistant Coach Beard, begins a new stage in his career. But beyond having to learn the rules of the sport, as well as dealing with the press and the fans, Ted's goal is to leave some day-to-day teaching to any individual who comes his way.

Along with the main plot, small particular stories are also being developed that show, at the end of the third season, how the characters grew. This, without a doubt, is a way of understanding that "Ted Lasso" always looked for ways to do something more than comedy and only pay attention to soccer.

Among the cast we meet Rebecca Welton, owner of the Richmond who initially only wanted to ruin the club to take revenge on her ex-husband; Jamie Tartt, the young promise of the team who only thinks of himself; Roy Kent, the grumpy captain who is in his final days as an active player; Nathan Shelley, the prop man who despite his lack of confidence knows a lot about soccer; and Keeley Jones, model and Jamie's girlfriend, who is looking to make it big in her professional career.

Perhaps for many people, the 34 episodes fell short for this magnificent story. But closing it in its prime and with just three seasons is a great way to make yourself memorable. Also, talking about a spin-off is not a bad idea either, especially because of how things turned out in its final chapter.

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The lessons of Ted Lasso

The production of Apple TV is not about a simple American who goes to London to make jokes and get a few smiles. Not at all. It is, rather, the epic story of a group of people, different from each other, with desires and particularities, defects and virtues, and what they learn through that development.

There is talk of soccer, obviously, but not as much as some believe. Here we see regulations, history and even cameos from sports figures, but in the end they are the framework of a broader background. The one who doesn't know about soccer will end up learning, and the one who knows it will love it from the beginning.

What started as a funny character on NBC Sports a decade ago has become a superhero without a cape. It is that Ted is leaving us leadership lessons that must be taken into account. Enjoy the process, each game, each victory and each defeat.

Since his arrival in Richmond, the coach has relied on the club's prop when listening to his proposals and strategies. But he not only listens to him, but also values his opinion and executes his ideas, something decisive for the future of the plot. In turn, another detail to highlight about him is his optimism and the way he motivates his team. Ted cultivates that kind of relationship with his environment and drives them to want to have a meaningful life.

A cast to match

As he said in a scene from the last episode, the story was never about Ted Lasso. "The Lasso Way" is actually "the Richmond Way" as each and every character plays an important role.

Rebecca, in the first instance, intends to ruin Richmond out of the simple desire to see her ex-husband suffer. Ted's positive attitude makes her change drastically. In the end, that boss-employee relationship ends up becoming that of two great friends.

For his part, much can be detailed about the love trio that was experienced between Keeley, Roy, and Jamie. Certainly, there was no romantic ending for them, but the personal growth of the three speaks for itself. She achieved her goal and thanks to her skills she founded her own public relations company, becoming an empowered woman similar to Rebecca.

In turn, Roy and Jamie's egos were left behind. The former went through a crisis after retiring from soccer, but by joining Ted and Beard as coaches, and after his failed love affair with Keeley, he brings out his most generous and sensitive side to get ahead. A similar case happens with Jamie who wanted to stop being the individualistic and egocentric player that everyone hated to support the collective and for that he established a great friendship with Roy.

In the case of Nathan, the perfect villain of the story, his plot was a roller coaster. He went from being an introvert to someone hungry for power and thirsty for success. That ambition made him betray his friendship with Ted. In the end, his relationship with his girlfriend put his feet back on the ground and led him to look for himself, to ask for forgiveness, and to return to the place where he was truly happy.

They say that the important thing is not the destination, but the path through which one travels. So, as it is, it happens with "Ted Lasso". Even if it's just a series, her energy is capable of motivating the audience to be a better version of themselves. From day one, the word believe became something of a charm for everyone, both on and off-screen.