Football documentaries have gained popularity recently, providing viewers with behind-the-scenes access to their favourite teams and players. Here are some of the best documentaries to watch covering the beautiful game:
Football’s Most Dangerous Rivalry (2012) – VICE on YouTube
VICE’s documentary delves into the fiercely violent and contentious rivalry between the Scottish football clubs Rangers and Celtic. The film sheds light on the darker aspects of the sport, including racial slurs and the dangerous world of violence surrounding it.
Sunderland Til’ I Die (2018) – Netflix
The documentary is an honest and revealing look at the downward trajectory of Sunderland, showing the behind-the-scenes details that fans don’t usually get to see. Later this year will be the third season of the series coming soon to Netflix and will document the North East club’s return to the EFL Championship. This will also be the final series following the team.
All Or Nothing Series (2018-Present) – Amazon Prime
The series offers behind-the-scenes access to top football clubs worldwide, including Tottenham Hotspur, Juventus, Manchester City, and the Brazil national team.
Women In Football – Why Was It Banned? (2019) – talk
The documentary explores the history of the Football Association banning women’s football over 100 years ago and how it affected generations of women.
Diego Maradona (2019) – Amazon Prime
The life of the legendary footballer Diego Maradona is captured in the documentary using over 500 hours of personal video footage from the late player’s archives. Viewers are granted a rare glimpse into Maradona’s life through intimate interviews with those closest to him.
Take Us Home: Leeds United (2020) – Amazon Prime
The documentary focuses on the story of Marcelo Bielsa’s leadership and the subsequent revival of Leeds United, which ended a 15-year absence from the top tier of English football by earning promotion to the Premier League.
Shame In The Game – Racism In Football (2020) – BBC iPlayer
The BBC documentary explores incidents of racism against fans and players on football grounds in both the men’s and women’s games. It revisits why taking the knee was adopted in the Premier League.
Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In (2021) – Amazon Prime
The documentary explores the personal life and managerial journey of Sir Alex Ferguson, the former Manchester United head coach for over 26 years. The film offers unique insights into the legendary coach’s life and career.
LFG (2021) – Now TV
This documentary follows the legal battle of the U.S. women’s team to be paid equally to their male counterparts, featuring well-known players like Megan Rapinoe and Jessica McDonald.
Welcome to Wrexhman (2022) – Disney+
One of the hottest docuseries right now, especially with the recent promotion. The series chronicles the purchase and stewardship of Wrexham AFC, one of professional football’s oldest clubs, by two Hollywood actors, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
Rooney (2022) – Amazon Prime
In this Amazon documentary, viewers are taken on a journey through the turbulent career of Wayne Rooney, England’s all-time leading scorer. The film looks inside at the behind-the-scenes events that shaped his journey.
Football’s Coming Out (2022) – Channel 4
In this documentary, past and present football players are featured in a revealing piece that explores the challenges faced by male footballers who come out. The film investigates the reasons behind football’s difficulty in accepting such players.
Untitled David Beckham Documentary (2023) – Netflix
As one of the most polarising and iconic figures in modern football, David Beckham’s name is recognised worldwide. The documentary will offer a detailed look into the life of this sports icon over the past 40 years. It will include personal footage and interviews with friends, family, and fellow peers to provide insights into his life and career.
Untitled FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Docuseries (2023) – Netflix
Considered by many as one of the best tournaments in the beautiful game’s history, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar showcased some genuinely iconic moments and performances. The docu-series will provide fans with exclusive footage showing behind-the-scenes footage of all 32 teams that competed in the tournament. Viewers can relive inspiring underdog performances and spine-tingling moments, including Lionel Messi’s triumphant win with Argentina, which added to his already impressive career accomplishments.
