Football docu-series are becoming an increasingly popular way to gain unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to the sport. Fans are being given unprecedented access to the teams they support, allowing them to learn how they train, the reasoning behind that one signing, and even learn about new stories.
While film portrayals of our favourite players and managers are entertaining, nothing beats the real thing. Fortunately, filmmakers have found a way to document one of the world’s most popular sports in order to bring some extraordinary stories to our screens.
That being said, we’ve compiled a list of the best football documentaries available right now. There’s something for everyone, whether you want to brush up on your behind-the-scenes knowledge, need a weekend escape, or simply want to binge-watch something.
Best Football docu-series:
1. Football’s Most Dangerous Rivalry:
Year of release: 2012
OTT platform: Vice on YouTube
IMDB rating: 8.5/10
VICE is known for delving into subcultures in society’s nooks and crannies. This documentary about the rivalry between the Scottish clubs Rangers and Celtic is no exception. The short film, which lasts less than an hour, delves into the dark world of violence, racial slurs, and the volatile side of the game.
2. Women In Football – Why Was It Banned?:
Year of release: 2019
OTT platform: talkSPORT
IMDB rating: 6.8/10
It’s common knowledge that women’s football had to rebuild itself after being banned by the Football Association more than a century ago. However, if you are unfamiliar with the history, this documentary is an excellent introduction to the antiquated beliefs that prevented generations of women from participating in the sport.
3. Sunderland Til’ I Die:
Year of release: 2018
OTT platform: Netflix
IMDB rating: 8.1/10
This is without a doubt one of the most well-known documentaries that reignited the magic of the film form in football. It’s a candid and revealing look at the decline of a club unlike any other. You can see what the table looks like at the end of the day, but this one shows that there’s a lot more going on in private that fans don’t usually get to see.
4. Football’s Coming Out:
Year of release: 2022
OTT platform: Channel4
Sexuality is still a taboo topic in football, and there are no openly gay male footballers at the highest level of English football at the moment. This documentary looks into what happens when a player does share this with the rest of the world. It features past and present players in a revealing piece that asks why football makes it difficult for players to come out.
5. Rooney:
Year of release: 2022
OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
IMDB rating: 6.8/10
Wayne Rooney’s triumphs with Manchester United are well known, but in this Amazon documentary, England’s top goalscorer tells the inside story of his turbulent career. The newspapers could only provide one side of the story, but Rooney now has the opportunity to set the record straight, on both the good and the bad.
6. Shame In The Game – Racism In Football:
Year of release: 2020
OTT platform: BBC iPlayer
Have you ever wondered why the Premier League adopted the kneeling rule? There’s no denying that racism in football has become more visible in recent years. and this BBC documentary revisits incidents from the men’s and women’s leagues to expose racism against fans and players at football grounds.
7. Bob Marley Legacy – Rhythm Of The Game:
Year of release: 2020
OTT platform: Bob Marley On YouTube
IMDB Rating: 9.4/10
Rhythm Of The Game is one of several short films on the Bob Marley YouTube channel dedicated to various aspects of the Reggae legend’s life. His passion for football is well known, and he was forever associated with Ajax after a DJ played the Jamaican’s track ‘Three Little Birds’ at their stadium. This documentary is for music and sports fans alike, and it highlights the joy that football can bring.
8. All Or Nothing:
Year of release: 2018
OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
This series is a fan favourite and has established itself as having access to some of the world’s best clubs. Its current portfolio includes behind-the-scenes looks at Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Juventus, and the Brazilian national team. So, if you’ve ever wondered how Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola lead their teams, these videos should help.
9. Women’s Football In India:
Year of release: 2018
OTT platform: DW on YouTube
IMDB Rating: 9.7/10
Football’s beauty is that it truly is a global sport. Deutsche Welle has curated a fantastic series of documentaries on their Kick-Off channel, and this is just one of them. Although India is not a country associated with football, this is a heartwarming story about three women who meet in Mapusa, North Goa, to play football together despite the obstacles they each face.
10. Take Us Home: Leeds United:
Year of release: 2020
OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
Consider this the prequel to Leeds United’s title-winning season in 2019/20, which gives this documentary a genuine underdog feel. Marcelo Bielsa led the team back to the Premier League after a 15-year absence, and this film tells the story of how they did it. If you liked how Leicester City’s Premier League victory upended the status quo, you’ll love this story about hope and revival that finally came true.
11. Footeuses:
Year of release: 2020
OTT platform: Yard on YouTube
Documentaries about women’s football are uncommon on most platforms. They are, however, appearing if you look closely, and French brand Yard is leading the way in redefining how stories are told. Footeuses, which translates to “footballers” in French, looks at the women and girls who are breaking down barriers in France following the country’s hosting of the 2019 World Cup. It sheds light on the realities and prejudices that female football players face while pursuing their dream of playing the game.
12. Diego Maradona:
Year of release: 2019
OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
He’s a controversial figure, but there’s no denying his talent on the football field. Diego Maradona is a compilation of over 500 hours of video footage from the late player’s personal archives. The people who knew the larger-than-life character best lend their voices to his story in this critically acclaimed documentary.
13. LFG:
Year of release: 2021
OTT platform: Now TV
IMDB Rating: 5.6/10
Prepare to be both enraged and inspired by this documentary. LFG investigates the United States women’s team’s legal battle to be paid equally to their male counterparts. Their unequal treatment was a huge story around the world, despite the fact that they had multiple World Cup titles and Olympic medals. This is not one to miss, as it features some well-known faces such as Megan Rapinoe and Jessica McDonald.
14. Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In:
Year of release: 2021
OTT platform: Now TV
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
If you’ve been following Premier League football for a while, you’ve probably heard of Sir Alex Ferguson. The Scotsman was Manchester United’s most prominent figure, serving as head coach for over 26 years, which is unheard of in modern football. The documentary, which is available to Amazon Prime members, delves into Ferguson’s personal life as well as his rollercoaster managerial journey, revealing previously unseen insights.
15. The Phenomenon: Ronaldo:
Year of release: 2021
OTT platform: iPlayer
IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
Ronaldo Nazario was 21 years old in 1997, the best footballer on the planet, and on his way to becoming an all-time great. However, just a year later, everything had changed. He was first blamed for Brazil’s World Cup final loss to France, and then he suffered back-to-back injuries that threatened to end his career while it was still in its prime. The Phenomenon was back on top after two new knees and one World Cup.
The filmmakers interview Ronaldo’s family, teammates, doctors, and surgeons, as well as the entire cast of this incredible redemption story. And, for the first time on film, Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos reveal what happened in room 290 of the Chateau de Grande Romaine hotel on the afternoon of the 1998 World Cup final.
16. Messi:
Year of release: 2014
OTT platform: BBC
IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
Messi is widely regarded as the greatest player to ever put on a pair of football boots, and the BBC has given him the documentary treatment ahead of the World Cup. In a new one-hour documentary, a slew of his former teammates and opponents, as well as journalists who have covered him, delve deep into Messi to try to separate the man from the myth.
17. How To Win The World Cup:
Year of release: 2022
OTT platform: BBC
IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
With the World Cup finals in Qatar just a few weeks away, the BBC dug deep into the secrets of the previous three World Cup-winning teams: Spain (2010), Germany (2014), and France (2018).
Cesc Fabregas, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Per Mertesacker, Manuel Neuer, and Marcel Desailly all provide unique insights into their team’s victory, and there’s plenty here that even football aficionados won’t have known beforehand.
So proud to be part of this superb documentary! Watch “How to win the World Cup” on the BBC and the BBC iPlayer.⬇️ @BBCSport @BBC https://t.co/HOmA5ysVV6pic.twitter.com/zjqLeiuMNN
— Julien Laurens (@LaurensJulien) November 9, 2022
18. FIFA Uncovered:
Year of release: 2022
OTT platform: Netflix
IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
The uproar over FIFA’s decision to award Qatar this year’s World Cup hasn’t subsided in the intervening 12 years – and may have contributed to Sepp Blatter’s downfall. Remember Netflix’s damning documentary about corrupt FIFA officials being hauled over the coals by the FBI?
19. Planet FIFA:
Year of release: 2016
OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
IMDB Rating: 6.8/10
Few television plots are as captivating and intriguing as corruption. The difference here is that everything was very, very real. Corruption in football’s governing body had long been suspected, but proving it was nearly impossible. The FBI is called in.
In 2015, US prosecutors revealed widespread corruption within the organization, ultimately leading to FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s demise despite his desperate attempts to retain power. This documentary, which is available on Amazon Prime, delves deeply into the organization’s shady dealings and investigates what factors led to such duplicity on a never-before-seen scale.
20. All or Nothing: Manchester City:
Year of release: 2018
OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
An eight-part series chronicling Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City’s relentless march to the Premier League’s first-ever 100-point season.
The Amazon Prime original gives viewers an insight into the mind of one of the greatest coaches of all time, as well as behind-the-scenes footage from one of the world’s top clubs. And keep an eye out for Fabian Delph’s scene-stealing cameo.
21. Take the Ball, Pass the Ball:
Year of release: 2018
OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
Few clubs elicit the exhilarating memories and raw emotion that Barcelona does. The names change, from Cruyff to Messi, Maradona to Ronaldinho, but the fabled red and blue striped shirt endures.
Barcelona produced the greatest club football the world had ever seen for four years under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola. Follow their journey on YouTube during the Pep years as Messi, Xavi, Puyol, and co. won 14 trophies in just four seasons.
22. Cristiano Ronaldo: Impossible to Ignore:
Year of release: 2021
OTT platform: iPlayer
IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
This documentary, which was released prior to last summer’s European Championship, takes a close look at the life of Ronaldo, one of the world’s most recognizable athletes.
From thrilling fans around the world with his on-field exploits to being the name and face of a slew of global brands, Cristiano Ronaldo is always the centre of attention. This iPlayer documentary peels back the polished exterior to reveal the mind and personal life of a global superstar.
23. They Think It’s All Rovers:
Year of release: 2021
OTT platform: YouTube
IMDB Rating: 6.7/10
Doncaster Rovers in the 1990s was summed up in the opening line: “This is Mark Weaver, the general manager of the worst professional football club in the country.” The phrase ‘basket case’ has never been more appropriate. Doncaster Rovers were a complete shambles, from the owner paying an ex-SAS soldier to start a fire in his own stadium to relegation to the fifth tier of English football.
In this 48-minute documentary, available for free on YouTube, relive the chaotic scenes at the Yorkshire club. Then read 6,000 words from us as we tracked down some of the key characters in the story to shed new light on it.
24. Beckham:
Year of release: 2023
OTT platform: Netflix
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
A surprisingly honest and critical Netflix documentary that doesn’t dwell too much on his lifestyle and is pleasingly football-centric.
It portrays David as a deceptively complex, immensely talented but flawed man, and includes most of the figures most influential to his career, though I’m not sure what the politics were between Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo, but as his successor at United and global superstar, his absence was notable.
Beckham’s love for Manchester United is repeatedly emphasized, and his career choices in his thirties after leaving Real Madrid are heavily scrutinized.
So, this was all about the best football docu-series. Also read, The best Football based web series for a sport fanatic!
