Though soccer (or “futbol”) isn’t exactly the most popular sport over here in the States, we all pretend to be huge fans when the World Cup rolls around.  I actually find the sport quite interesting to watch, and now I’m doubly interested seeing as how one of the most talented filmmakers working today is set to tackle the game in a new documentary.  Per 24 Frames, Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Ultimatum, United 93) will direct a documentary about the legendary FC Barcelona soccer club.

Titled Barca, the film will chronicle the franchise’s preparation for the 2012-2013 campaign.  FC Barcelona is coming off a title win last year, and the film is expected to focus on the club’s successful run over the last four years.  Hit the jump for more.

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24 Frames reports that the film will take a Moneyball approach to the sport, as the filmmakers aim to show “the players and the Barca game, which is known for its crisp and graceful passing schemes, as well as the business strategy behind the team.”  Greengrass has an incredibly talented editor onboard by way of Chris King, who assembled last year’s excellent doc Senna using only archived material.  The project will be shopped at Cannes.

The plan is for Greengrass to move on to Barca after he finishes his next narrative feature, A Captain’s Duty.  That film stars Tom Hanks and tells the real life story of Captain Richard Phillips, who allowed himself to be taken hostage by Somali pirates in exchange for the safety of his crew.  Production on A Captain’s Duty begins soon, with Greengrass set to start work on Barca later this year.  The plan is to release the film ahead of the 2014 World Cup, when interest in soccer (especially here in America!) will be at a fever pitch.