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What to stream: Stay on the pitch with these soccer movies, documentaries

Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service on

Published in Entertainment News

World Cup dreams may be over the United States team after their loss to Belgium, but the global tournament has brought renewed interest to the sport this summer for many U.S. fans, especially with games spread across North America and rowdy international fans bringing some levity and joy. World Cup fever has taken over the globe, as it does every four years, so if you’re looking for something to watch in between matches and highlights, here are some related movies and series to keep feeding the soccer-obsessed.

Even though the U.S. is now out of the tournament, you can watch their run up to this year’s World Cup with the HBO Sports docuseries “U.S. Against the World: Four Years with the Men’s National Soccer Team.” This five-episode docuseries directed by Rand Getlin and Luke Korver chronicles the team’s journey to the 2026 tournament. That journey might now be over (until the next Cup), but it’s fascinating to watch and get to know the players’ life stories in more detail. Stream it on HBO Max.

However, there are more international legends and their stories to take in too, if you want to really demonstrate your knowledge of the beautiful game. Also streaming on HBO Max is “Diego Maradona,” a documentary about the legendary Argentinian player, directed by Oscar-winning director Asif Kapadia and constructed from 500 hours of never-before-seen footage, focusing on his career in the 1980s playing for Argentina and SSC Napoli. Stream it on HBO Max.

Maradona shared Fifa Player of the Century honors with the equally (if not more) legendary Pelé, the Brazilian player whose single name is synonymous with the game and the only man to have won three World Cup titles. He too has his own 2021 documentary, directed by Ben Nicholas and David Tryhorn, which includes archival footage, interviews with Pelé and his former teammates, and looks at the 12-year period from 1958 to 1970 when he transformed from a young superstar to a national hero, during an incredibly turbulent period in Brazil’s history. Stream it Netflix.

There’s also a narrative feature film about the young Pelé, “Pelé: Birth of a Legend,” directed by Jeff and Michael Zimbalist, about the young street soccer star leading his country to the World Cup. Vincent D’Onofrio plays his manager Vicente Feola while Kevin de Paula plays a young Pelé. Stream “Pelé: Birth of a Legend” on Kanopy, Tubi, or rent it on other platforms.

 

The Zimbalist brothers also made a soccer documentary with the 30 for 30 doc “The Two Escobars,” which draws parallels between two Colombians: notorious drug trafficker Pablo Escobar and soccer star Andrés Escobar. It’s a fascinating film about sports, culture, crime and politics. “The Two Escobars” is streaming on Tubi.

But soccer isn’t just about superstars, it’s about underdogs too. The 2014 documentary “Next Goal Wins,” follows Dutch coach Thomas Rongen leading the American Samoan soccer team, turning them around from losers to winners. Directed by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison, the film is available to rent on Prime Video and Apple TV. In 2023, Taika Waititi adapted the doc into a narrative feature starring Michael Fassbender as Rongen. Stream it on Tubi or rent it on Apple or Amazon.

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