There’s a surprisingly deep roster of soccer movies available to stream on Netflix Instant—more than enough to field a full football team. In limiting this list to a top 10 we’re aiming to keep the quality high. Sorry Air Bud: World Pup, but we demand a little more from our footie flicks.
In researching this list and weighing the pros and cons of various soccer films, I stumbled across one important truth: The best soccer movies are about more than just soccer. The best soccer movies use soccer as the way in to a bigger story, whether it’s romance, greed, fighting the odds, Colombia’s drug-fueled economy, or a government cover-up.
Here are the best soccer movies streaming now on Netflix. Whether you’re looking for soccer documentaries or movies about football, this list of soccer movies currently on Netflix is regularly updated with new and popular TV films. What are the best soccer films to watch on Netflix?
Some good soccer movies and documentaries on Netflix include Becoming Zlatan, Holy Goalie, and Lusers.
Vote up the best soccer movies on Netflix, and add your favorites if they’re missing from the list.
5. White, Blue and White
- Year: 2014
- Director: Camilo Antolini
In this ESPN 30 for 30 documentary, Argentinean players Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa recall their time in England with Tottenham Hotspur, which was notable for two reasons. First, when they both joined Tottenham Hotspur in 1978, they became the first South Americans to play in the rough and tumble of England’s first division. Second, just as they were acclimatized and reaching their peak, England and Argentina went to war over the Falkland Islands. Like any good sports documentary, White, Blue and White uses soccer as a lens to look at that war.
4. United
- Year: 2011
- Director: James Strong
Dramatic retelling of the 1958 Munich Air Disaster, which killed 20 of the 44 passengers, including eight members of the famous Manchester United “Busby Babes” team. The film centers on the relationship between Manchester United’s assistant manager Jimmy Murphy (Doctor Who and Broadchurch’s David Tennant) and young player Bobby Charlton (Skins’ Jack O’Connell), who emerge to lead the team in the aftermath.
3. Kicking It
- Year: 2008
- Directors: Susan Koch and Jeff Werner
Colin Farrell narrates this documentary, which follows the 2006 Homeless World Cup in South Africa. Instead of focusing on the action, Kicking It offers intimate profiles of six players, delving into their history and showing how soccer has helped them improve their lives.
2. Shaolin Soccer
- Year: 2001
- Director: Stephen Chow
Chow wrote, directed and starred in this famous melding of classic martial arts story (big bad bossman needs taking down) and classic sports story (underdog team learns to work together and win). The all-action kung-fu soccer scenes have all the technical virtuosity, imagination and humor you expect from a Stephen Chow movie, and are probably what Zlatan sees when he closes his eyes at night.
1. The Two Escobars
- Year: 2010
- Directors: Jeff Zimbalist and Michael Zimbalist
Most people remember Andrés Escobar as “the guy who was shot for scoring an own goal at the World Cup.” But there’s a lot more to the story than that, and this ESPN 30 for 30 documentary tracks the rise and fall of Andrés’ namesake, drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, and how his support for soccer both helped and hurt the Colombian team and nation. It’s also a moving tribute to Andrés Escobar the man, and a celebration of his career.