Best soccer movies and documentaries to watch during COVID-19 and beyond

No doubt if you love soccer and are spending more time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, you’re watching a lot of TV and reading. To help streamline your decision making, SoccerWire staff and readers have compiled a list of books, dramatic movies, documentaries, and television series with soccer (or “football” as most of these works of art originate from outside the United States) as their backdrop.

Here is a list of things you can watch – listed in alphabetical order.  Next week, we’ll publish a list of things you can read.

Enjoy!

Bend it Like Beckham – Rent or Buy on Amazon

Keira Knightley and Parminder Nagra star as two ambitious girls in England with their hearts set on becoming professional players (and being as good as David Beckham). Dare you to find a girl in England or the USA they plays pro soccer today that didn’t watch this movie as kids.

Dare to Dream – Buy DVD on Amazon

2005 sports documentary about the United States women’s national soccer team. It describes the pivotal roles of Brandi Chastain, Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Kristine Lilly, and Joy Fawcett in the development of the team.

Goal! The Dream Begins – Rent or Buy on Amazon

Young player’s journey from being discovered on the youth fields to becoming a pro.. at Real Madrid. There were sequels, but the first is the best. How would you handle the limelight?

Green Street Hooligans – Buy on Amazon

Big budget (R rated) movie with Elajah Wood (Lord of the Rings fame) is a highly rated story about an American journalism student who moves to London and is introduced to the rough tribal world of hooliganism culture around the game in the UK.

Make us Dream – Watch on Amazon

Amazon original documentary following the career of Steven Gerrard and his achievements at Liverpool.

[Pelada] – Rent or buy on Apple

Amazing 2010 documentary following the story of two American former college players (Luke and Gwendolyn) on the bubble of pro careers, but first taking the time to travel to 25 countries playing pick-up soccer… Including sneaking Gwen on a field in Iran where girls were forbidden to play, and having a kick-about inside a prison in Bolivia.

The Damned United – Rent or buy on Amazon

Big budget movie based on bestselling novel about one of best coaches in English history – Brian Clough’s failed tenure at Leeds United despite his heroic reputation. The characters are from real life, but the story is a fictional interpretation by the author and film adaptation of the book. You’ll want to Get Stuck In after watching this one!

The Four Year Plan – Watch on Amazon Prime or buy

Documentary following Queens Park Rangers’ new owners as they focus on getting promoted back to the Premier League (a project within reach if the season re-starts after Covid-19 as they sit just 6 points out of promotion playoff position in the EFL Championship table)

VICTORY! – Rent or Buy on Amazon

Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine and Pele himself star in the 1981 thriller about Prisoners of War in World War II forming a soccer team to take on the Germans with the explicit goal of escaping with the help of the French underground.