(fdp)

Football referee Juarez is fighting his ex-wife Manuela in court for custody of their son Vini, but the judge in the case makes it plain that his ruling will depend on the result of an upcoming match.

Short of money, Juarez goes to live with his mother Rosali and her boyfriend Guzman, an avid football fan. Juarez's boss, Caponero, asks him to referee in the prestigious Libertadores Cup.

Juarez is horrified when Vini asks him for gymnast slippers for his birthday. Manuela succumbs to the amorous attentions of her divorce lawyer, Rui. Juarez makes a discovery about a colleague.

A worried Juarez must referee a match involving his favourite team, which is facing possible relegation. He asks for help from his friend and linesman Carvalhosa, who unleashes a comedy of errors.

Juarez and Carvalhosa complain about having to referee a match with a woman when they travel to Venezuela for an important Libertadores Cup game with attractive new lineswoman Vitoria da Matta.

Juarez fails the Football Referee Confederation's physical examination and only has one more chance to pass. He takes steroids to improve his chances, but they have some frustrating side effects.

Juarez agrees to referee a charity football match between two teams of glamorous models, leaving new girlfriend Vitoria fuming with jealousy but she soon catches the attention of the game's organisers.

Juarez is worried about making a mistake on the pitch, so Vitoria suggests helping him out when he referees his next match by sending messages to him from the commentary box via a hidden earpiece.

With help from Carvalhosa, Juarez manages to set up a lunch meeting with Caponero to talk about his suspension. But on the way to the restaurant, he recalls there's a football match at Vini's school.

Juarez is kidnapped by a group of football fans who are enraged by a bad call he made long ago that put their team at a disadvantage. Manuela has had enough of Rui and ends their relationship.

Rosali and Guzman get married, with Juarez and Manuela as witnesses. Vitoria starts a romance with Caponero, so Juarez threatens to reveal their affair to the press unless he gets his job back.

Juarez, now reconciled with Manuela, is assigned to referee the final match of the Libertadores Cup. But he's shocked to see his family arrive as guests of the owner of one of the teams about to play.

Juarez receives an offer of millions to throw the match and learns that one of the linesmen is in on the scheme, but Manuela makes it clear that if he takes the bribe, she's leaving him for good.