Summer, 1954. The Soviet Union is sending its prisoners of war home. Among them is the father of a quiet, football-loving 11-year-old, Matthias, who lives with his mother, sister and brother in a West-German mining town. The return of the boy's father Richard casts a shadow over the once-happy family: broken by his years in captivity, Richard has trouble adapting to life in post-war Germany and alienates his family through his severity. Unlike his son, Richard is neither interested in football nor in the World Cup that's about to be held in Bern, Switzerland. Matthias, however, longs to be there with his friend and idol, Helmut Rahn, who's been chosen to play on the German team. Through his passion for the game and his fighting spirit, Matthias rekindles a love of life in his dad's heart. And so, as the final match of the World Cup begins, a little miracle of love and generosity leaps across borders to help another miracle occur - the victory of Helmut Rahn and the German team, the miracle of Bern.

Sommer, 1954. Sovjetunionen sender sine krigsfanger hjem. Blandt dem er faren til en stille, 11-årig fodboldelskende Matthias, der bor sammen med sin mor, søster og bror i en vesttysk minedrift. Tilbagevenden til drengens far Richard kaster en skygge over den engang lykkelige familie: brudt af hans år i fangenskab Richard har problemer med at tilpasse sig livet i Tyskland efter krigen og fremmedgør sin familie gennem sin sværhedsgrad. I modsætning til hans søn, Richard er hverken interesseret i fodbold eller i verdensmesterskabet, der skal afholdes i Bern, Schweiz. Matthias længes dog efter at være der sammen med sin ven og idol, Helmut Rahn, som er valgt til at spille på Tysk hold. Gennem sin passion for spillet og hans kampånd genopliver Matthias en kærlighed til livet i sin fars hjerte. Og så når den sidste kamp i verdensmesterskabet begynder, springer et lille mirakel af kærlighed og generøsitet over grænser for at hjælpe et andet mirakel - Helmut Rahns sejr og det tyske hold, Bern-miraklet.