What To Watch
These 28 Soccer Documentaries Are Literally Goals
A beautiful game, indeed.
By Josh Terry and Ashley Lee
June 9, 2026
28 Best Soccer Documentaries on Netflix to Stream Right Now - Netflix Tudum
Soccer is the world’s most popular sport for a reason. Competing globally is a source of national pride; clubs galvanize local communities, and teams and players transcend the traditional borders of fandom.
Narrative movies that take place on the pitch are a thrill, yes. But sports documentaries can focus as much on interpersonal, real-life drama as on the plays they chronicle — giving the audience a glimpse of the personalities, motivations, and behind-the-scenes forces that make their stories possible. These docs tell the stories of the legendary clubs, lovable losers, global icons, and talented outcasts.
Soccer superfans can get in on the action with a new FIFA football simulation game, available exclusively on Netflix Games June 11. And arriving later this month is The Root of the Game, the limited series that explores Brazil’s amateur várzea scene, set around São Paulo’s Super Copa Pioneer. There’s no better time to indulge in your love of the beautiful game.
Anelka: Misunderstood
In this documentary, Nicolas Anelka — the enigmatic French striker who played for Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, and many other teams — tries to settle the score about his career: his undeniable talent, his many squabbles with coaches, his antagonistic relationship with the press, and his missed opportunities. The film presents a thorough portrait of a divisive figure, complete with interviews with his former teammates and coaches, like Thierry Henry, Patrice Evra, and Arsene Wenger.
Beckham
This four-part docuseries from Academy Award–winning director Fisher Stevens gives fans never-before-seen insight into who David Beckham actually is, on and off the football pitch. It features interviews with his family, friends, and teammates and includes an up-close look at everything about him — even his shopping and cleaning habits. The result is an unprecedented portrait of an icon who, despite spending 30 years in the public eye, just might surprise you.
Boca Juniors Confidential
This four-part documentary series is the perfect introduction to Argentine soccer. It takes an in-depth look at the Buenos Aires club Boca Juniors — whose participation in the Superclásico, the anticipated game with River Plate, fuels one of the sport’s most legendary rivalries. Specifically, the episodes zoom in on the trials and triumphs of their 2017–2018 season, a period that includes the addition of new team members, injuries to key players, and one athlete’s devastating personal loss.
The Bus: A French Football Mutiny
In 2010, the French national football team traveled to South Africa for the World Cup. But after an argument between the coach and a top player led to an expulsion, the athletes went on strike, sitting on the team bus and refusing to train. The situation sparked global headlines and national outrage at the time, and this documentary offers insights from those at the heart of it — former players, press agents, and even head coach Raymond Domenech.
Captains
From heartbreak to triumph, this documentary series offers a unique perspective on chasing football dreams. The eight-episode show follows six football captains and their teams as they vie for a spot in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. With their nation’s pride on the line, these leaders — Thiago Silva (Brazil), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), Luka Modrić (Croatia), Hassan Maatouk (Lebanon), Andre Blake (Jamaica), and Brian Kaltak (Vanuatu) — do whatever it takes to secure their club’s qualification.
Captains of the World
From the locker room to the pitch, Captains of the World dives into the trials and triumphs of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This six-part docuseries goes behind the scenes with the captains, players, and coaches — including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane, and Gareth Bale — revealing their strategies, rivalries, and moments of glory on and off the field. Bursting with stadium buzz, shocking upsets, and hard-fought victories, each episode captures the drama and high stakes that define soccer’s biggest tournament.
Emi Martínez: The Kid Who Stops Time
A one-of-a-kind athlete like Emiliano Martínez deserves a unique documentary. This inventive portrait of the Argentine goalkeeper mixes animation, archival footage, and interviews with family members and teammates to trace how a kid from Mar del Plata became the “Dibu” we all know today. The inspiring film is fitting for children and adults alike — and wouldn’t it be nice if we all had a talking football to remind us of the challenges ahead?
The Figo Affair: The Transfer that Changed Football
Here’s the story behind one of the most contentious exploits in soccer history: Luís Figo’s move from FC Barcelona to their archrival team, Real Madrid. Florentino Pérez, in the running for the Real Madrid presidency, plotted to lure Figo away with an unprecedented $75 million. The move turned Figo from hero to villain overnight: FC Barcelona fans burned their Figo jerseys and pelted him on the field with objects — including a pig’s head. This film features footage of integral trade conversations and key players spilling the tea.
First Team: Juventus
This docuseries is full of excellent storylines about the winningest soccer club in Italy’s 2017–2018 season, from its quest for Champions League glory to top goal-scorer Gonzalo Higuain’s form on the pitch. But the heart of the series is the impending retirement of goalkeeper Gigi Buffon, who’d been with the club since 2001. While this documentary is a fascinating look at a winning team’s culture, it’s also an affecting portrayal of an athlete who knows he should retire but isn’t quite ready to do so. Stay focused on Juventus with Episode 3 of Bad Sport, about the club’s 2006 Calciopoli match-fixing scandal.
It's All Over: The Kiss That Changed Spanish Football
In the midst of Spain’s victory in the 2023 Women’s World Cup, player Jenni Hermoso was suddenly kissed by the then-president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubiales — a non-consensual act that overshadowed the team’s win. This film, which won the International Emmy Award for Best Sports Documentary, features never-before-seen statements from the players as they recount their extraordinary path to win the most difficult Cup — and analyze key aspects of the scandal’s subsequent social movement that captured global attention.
James.
Colombia’s legendary No. 10, James Rodríguez, is at the center of this three-episode documentary series about his rise to international soccer stardom — from his childhood on the pitch, dreaming of becoming his home country’s captain, to his breakout moment at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and beyond. Directed by Simón Brand, James. revisits Rodríguez’s moments of glory and the challenges that forged his historic career, as told through eye-opening interviews with the man behind the legend, as well as with his friends, family, and contemporaries.
The Ladies with Style
Meet the Mamelodi Sundowns, a football club in South Africa. This documentary film follows the team as they embark on a journey to compete in the inaugural CAF Women’s Champions League in 2021 in Cairo, Egypt. Come for the players breaking barriers for the next generation of athletes; stay for the history of women’s soccer in South Africa and the widespread effort to ensure equal pay across gender lines.
Losers
Episode 2, “The Jaws of Victory”
Most European soccer leagues have a promotion and relegation system, in which the worst teams move down a division and the best teams move up one. This episode follows Torquay United — specifically, their 1987 season, when the small English football club faced not only relegation but dissolution (there simply weren’t any lower leagues). It’s an extremely charming and bizarre tale of how a bunch of outsiders manage to band together, even as the season is ultimately decided by a police dog that disrupts a game.
Maradona in Mexico
Diego Maradona’s on-field achievements are matched only by his larger-than-life persona. (Maradona’s hand-ball goal at the 1986 World Cup inspired Paolo Sorrentino’s The Hand of God.) This docuseries finds the late Argentine goal-scoring legend in 2018, when he’s hired to coach Dorados de Sinaloa, the worst team in Mexico’s second division. He steals every scene, igniting the team with the fortitude to actually win matches. Where other documentaries spotlight the darker side of Maradona’s legacy, this one presents a complicated legend who managed to inspire later in life.
Neymar: The Perfect Chaos
This three-episode docuseries centers on the prolific Brazilian soccer player’s stratospheric rise and undeniable talent as a Paris Saint-Germain striker, emerging fashion powerhouse, and influencer. It also delves into the darker aspects of fame, as the athlete navigates the overwhelming pressures and isolation that come with being a singular sports figure. In a world where athletes often seem godlike, this documentary is a reminder of the human behind the incredible on-field successes.
Norway: The Dark Horse
This two-part documentary presents an in-depth look at one of football’s most emotionally charged comebacks: the return of Norway’s men’s national team to a major international tournament after 26 long, painful years. Though belief had all but disappeared, the club finally broke the curse by qualifying for the FIFA World Cup. The episodes track the emotional journey of the team, including global stars like Martin Ødegaard, Erling Haaland, Alexander Sørloth and Antonio Nusa, all under head coach Ståle Solbakken.
Pelé
Pelé scored 1,279 goals in the 1,363 games of his career, and is still the only player to win three World Cups. Pelé does an excellent job surveying his meteoric rise from a kid in Bauru, São Paulo, to the world’s first global soccer star. But the documentary really shines when it dissects his political neutrality after the US-backed 1964 military coup that made Brazil a regressive dictatorship. It asks tough questions about what athletes are capable of when it comes to social justice — even under an oppressive government.
The Playbook
Episode 2, “Jill Ellis”; Episode 3, “José Mourinho”
This series dives into the tactics, mindsets, and histories of celebrated coaches, exploring their own rules for success. The episode with Ellis — who coached the US Women’s National Soccer Team to two consecutive World Cup wins — explores her sky-high standards and how competing with oneself is necessary for accomplishing goals. The episode with Mourinho — who won multiple distinctions, including two Champions League titles — offers a glimpse as to what makes the pugnacious and charismatic tactician tick.
Poldi
From a child of Polish immigrants to the “Prince Poldi” of Cologne, Lukas Podolski made German football history and became a national hero in the process. These days, Podolski still plays professionally in Poland while also building a successful second career in business. This documentary tracks his journey from street footballer to world champion, and reveals unseen facets of an athlete who remains one of Germany’s most beloved and authentic footballers to this day.
Ronaldinho: The One and Only
One of the most decorated and revered soccer stars in the world, Ronaldinho is the only player to win a World Cup, a Copa América, a Confederations Cup, a Champions League, a Copa Libertadores, and a Ballon d’Or. Through never-before-seen archival footage and candid interviews, this three-part documentary follows the life and career of the Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, tracking his journey from young prodigy to global sports icon and revisiting the victories and defeats throughout his career, on and off the pitch.
Sunderland 'Til I Die
Get on the pitch with Sunderland AFC, a struggling club that’s just been relegated from the top division of English soccer, the Premier League, to the second tier, the Championship. What follows is an affecting portrait of resilience — loyal fans rally around their team during tough stretches, staff members try to keep it all together, and players manage to squeak out a few wins. It’s perhaps the best look at what happens to a team and a city when the results don’t go their way.
Together: Treble Winners
Victory on the football pitch is a feat in itself, but a treble win — when a club claims three major trophies in a single season — is a historic achievement. This documentary series relives Manchester City FC’s 2022–23 season, which saw the Blues winning the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the Champions League within a span of months. Its six episodes begin with the team’s preseason rituals and new player arrivals, and go on to accompany them on their record-breaking journey.
Under Pressure: The U.S. Women's World Cup Team
This docuseries follows the US women’s national soccer team in the lead-up to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, as the athletes and coaches strive to capture their third consecutive championship title. Though it’s no secret that the team fell short in this goal, Under Pressure delves into the joys and hardships that became part of that journey — all the way up to the heartbreaking conclusion. It features insights from Alex Morgan, Lindsey Horan, Alyssa Thompson, Lynn Williams, Kristie Mewis, and Savannah DeMelo.
Untold: Hope Solo vs. U.S. Soccer
After two tumultuous decades in the public eye, Hope Solo is ready to tell her story. Across several interviews, the two-time Olympic gold medalist and World Cup champion goalkeeper opens up about her turbulent rise to the top of women’s soccer amid public scandals and tension with former teammates. This documentary film charts the US soccer icon’s life and career, from a complicated upbringing in rural Washington to the pinnacle of sports stardom.
USA 94: Brazil's Return to Glory
After their loss in the 1990 World Cup, the Brazilian team arrived in the US with low morale and facing tremendous pressure, skepticism in the press, and distrust from fans. This soccer documentary recounts how the team rose to claim Brazil’s coveted fourth World Cup title in 1994, 24 years after winning their third in Mexico in 1970. Revisit the extraordinary moment with behind-the-scenes footage recorded by goalie Gilmar Rinaldi and right-back Jorginho, plus interviews with the team’s players and their rivals.
Untold UK: Jamie Vardy
This is the definitive story of Jamie Vardy, UK soccer’s ultimate underdog. He went from being rejected by his teenage soccer club to working in a factory to becoming a Premier League legend playing for Leicester City. Untold UK: Jamie Vardy examines his unprecedented path to the top, using previously unseen archival footage, raw locker-room stories, and interviews with Vardy, his wife, and his former teammates.
Untold UK: Liverpool's Miracle of Istanbul
Liverpool’s 2005 UEFA Champions League title was a Hollywood script come to life: a turbulent season with a new manager, the loss of their top striker to another club, an improbable run to the final, and the greatest comeback in soccer history. This documentary film is the definitive story of the Reds’ extraordinary win against all odds, told through the unfiltered perspectives of manager Rafael Benítez and star players Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, and others.
Untold UK: Vinnie Jones
Before Vinnie Jones became an accomplished actor — appearing in the movie Gridlocked and numerous Guy Ritchie projects, including the series The Gentlemen — he was one of the most feared players in English soccer. An FA Cup–winning midfielder for Wimbledon FC and member of the controversial “Crazy Gang,” Jones was nearly banned from the sport for his physicality. This documentary film tracks his unique journey from one of soccer’s most violent players to Hollywood’s go-to tough guy.
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