The soccer documentary has become its own distinct art form. Behind-the-scenes access, historical retrospectives, and character-driven portraits of clubs and players have produced some of the most compelling sports content of the decade. For US soccer fans, these documentaries add layers of context to the live matches you're already watching. Here are the ones worth your time.
Essential Soccer Documentaries
All or Nothing: Manchester City
Amazon Prime's season-long access to Pep Guardiola's City during their 2017/18 title run set the template for all soccer documentaries that followed. Unprecedented dressing room access, tactical insight, and a genuine sense of what it takes to win at the highest level. Required viewing regardless of which club you support.
Sunderland 'Til I Die
Netflix's three-season documentary following Sunderland AFC through their painful descent from Premier League to League One is one of the most emotionally resonant sports documentaries ever made. Funny, sad, and completely gripping — a portrait of what a club means to a community.
Take Us Home: Leeds United
Amazon followed Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United during their 2018/19 Championship campaign. The tactical obsession of Bielsa is fascinating in itself — the documentary captures the particular madness of following a club with Premier League expectations stuck outside the top flight.
Welcome to Wrexham
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought a Welsh football club and let cameras follow everything. What could have been a vanity project became one of the most genuinely entertaining sports docuseries in years. Now four seasons deep and covering Wrexham's real rise through the English football pyramid.
Maradona in Mexico
Diego Maradona's chaotic stint as manager of second-division Mexican side Dorados de Sinaloa. Funny, melancholy, and completely impossible to look away from. One of the most human portrayals of a sporting legend you'll find anywhere.
Classic Soccer Films Worth Revisiting
- The Damned United — Michael Sheen's portrayal of Brian Clough at Leeds United is one of the great sports performances in cinema.
- When Saturday Comes — Sean Bean as a Sheffield United dreamer. Perfect for fans of the underdog story.
- Bend It Like Beckham — Still charming and culturally relevant. A time capsule of early 2000s British life.
- Escape to Victory — Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, and Pelé. Gloriously absurd. Completely watchable.
Where to Find Official Highlights
Official highlights come from the rights holder in each market. In the US, NBC Sports holds the Premier League and runs highlights on Peacock, while Paramount+ carries Champions League coverage and analysis. Each documentary above stays with the service that made it: All or Nothing and Take Us Home on Prime Video, Sunderland 'Til I Die on Netflix, and Welcome to Wrexham on FX and Hulu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I watch Sunderland 'Til I Die?
Sunderland 'Til I Die is a Netflix original, so all three seasons stream on Netflix. It is included with any Netflix plan.
Where can I watch Premier League highlights in the US?
NBC Sports holds the US Premier League rights, so official highlights run on Peacock and on NBC Sports' own channels after each round. Check NBC Sports for the current schedule of highlights shows.
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