While Paul Greengrass‘ films have helped legitimize the use of documentary aesthetics in studio features — whether that’s good or bad is up to you — you can still count me as surprised that, as 24Frames reports, he’ll be going into that realm full-stop with Barca, a… well, documentary about the Spanish soccer club FC Barcelona. Anonymous Content are financing the endeavor, which they hope to have out by the 2014 World Cup.

With shooting scheduled to commence in the fall — after production wraps on his Tom Hanks-led Captain Phillips — Greengrass will chronicle “the process and legacy of one of the world’s most famous sports franchises” during their upcoming season, a time in which they must retain their league championship. Intrigued, are you? Fans of last year’s excellent Senna will be even more pleased, knowing that editor Chris King will work the old Avid (or Final Cut Pro) on Barca; also, please see Senna. (Moneyball enthusiasts, meanwhile, should know that the business side is getting a thorough exploration.)

So, despite being an American who can’t find interest in any sports — from a game of frisbee to the World Series — you can probably “get” why Barca is already speaking to me so loud and clear. Which is to say, Greengrass just so happens to be an exciting and versatile filmmaker capable of making almost everything an edge-of-your-seat event. (Sans the Iraq War, weirdly enough.) I’m more interested in what he’s doing with Phillips, admittedly, but the mere fact that I’m up for a soccer documentary speaks volumes.

Do you think this is a good choice for Greengrass? Is this a topic you care about in the first place?