The Best Football Documentaries of All Time, Ranked

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are the superstars of the modern game who have truly achieved GOAT status. Long before their time, however, Brazilian legend Pelé was the ultimate footballer. He scored hundreds of goals and dazzled on the world stage time and time again, so it figures that a documentary about his exploits would be pretty interesting.

The Pelé documentary on Netflix has plenty of first-hand accounts of the incredible talent the man himself possessed, as well as amazing archival footage of him playing. Unfortunately, it’s all pretty surface-level and highly celebratory rather than digging into anything more meaningful, but still a fascinating watch.

If you really want to dive into the ups and downs of club football from behind the scenes, the Sunderland ‘Til I Die docuseries on Netflix is a surefire winner. There’s no glossing over the chaos or sugarcoating anything in this show, with everyone involved offering a refreshingly honest and authentic insight into the inner workings of the iconic club.

There are a whole host of hilarious moments across the 17 episodes of this series, including the infamous executive suggesting rave music plays at the Stadium of Light, and a scouting meeting where Zlatan Ibrahimovic is inexplicably mentioned as a potential transfer target.

Speaking of telling things how they are, Kickback is an eye-opening documentary that highlights the worrying levels of corruption in the sport, particularly within the FIFA organisation. Investigative journalist Andrew Jennings has spent decades trying to uncover the bribery and embezzlement carried out by the likes of Sepp Blatter, and he spills it all in this feature-length Prime Video documentary.

If you enjoy the kind of pavement-pounding journalism you see in movies like All the President’s Men and Spotlight, you’ll love the way Jennings operates here. Obviously, we all love the beautiful game for what happens on the pitch, but it’s worth knowing what it’s really like off it, too.

Chances are, even the most casual football fan – or even those who don’t follow football at all – will be aware of Peter Crouch thanks to his work across TV and podcasting since retiring from the game. His football career was quite extraordinary, though, and he shares the full, honest story about his rise to fame in That Peter Crouch Film.

With his lighthearted and self-deprecating humour and endearing charm, it’s really easy to find this a compelling and entertaining watch. Meanwhile, hearing about his struggles growing up and trying to adjust to the different environments he found himself in – dealing with abuse from fans and scrutiny from the media – is very absorbing.

From one England icon to a true Three Lions legend, Wayne Rooney is one of the greatest players this country – and indeed, the sport – has ever seen. After breaking onto the scene as a teenager at Everton, it soon became clear that Rooney was destined for bigger and better things; this documentary details his phenomenal rise to the top.

Like any good documentary, the subject offers a frank and forthcoming insight into his experiences. Rooney isn’t a film that skirts the thornier issues or hides the true feelings of the man himself. He speaks candidly about people he didn’t get along with, mistakes he made, and the things that motivated him the most. If you like a slightly more serious documentary, this is the way to go.

It might surprise you that a football documentary can be emotional enough to get the tears flowing, but that’s exactly what Defoe did to me. For the most part, the film focuses on the former striker and his exploits on the pitch, but in the twilight of his career, as you may know, he forged an incredible bond with young Bradley Lowery, a Sunderland fan who was battling cancer at the time.

To see the impact this boy had on Defoe and how special their friendship was is so inspiring and poignant – it just goes to show how powerful sport can be in bringing people together. It’s only 90 minutes long, and it’s also on Prime Video.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last five years, you’ve probably heard a little bit about the story of Wrexham’s rise through the Football League under the ownership of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. 

Welcome to Wrexham is a wonderful blend of a fun, access-all-areas docuseries which puts players, managers, and those A-list owners front and centre, while also giving the people of Wrexham their chance to shine. There are now five seasons of this show to sink your teeth into, and they’re all on Disney+. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll find the amazing journey of this football club absolutely awe-inspiring.

From the Red Dragons to the Red Devils, The Class of ‘92 tells the story of the remarkable group of Manchester United academy players who became world-beaters under Sir Alex Ferguson. David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Co. dominated English football throughout the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, producing one of the most spectacular Champions League finals of all time.

All of those players, plus legends of the game like Zinedine Zidane and Eric Cantona, band together in this film to share how that magical team was able to thrive. Older viewers will love reflecting on that iconic period, while younger football fans will find it really educational to learn about one of the most revered teams in the history of the sport. You’ll have to pay to rent it, but for £2.49 on YouTube, you’re getting yourself a bargain.

We’ve already talked briefly about Ronaldo and Messi, as well as highlighting a great documentary about Pelé, but there’s one master of the game we haven’t mentioned yet: Diego Maradona. The wily Argentine had talent by the bucketload as well as a penchant for eccentricity and flair. He was a born winner, a hero in his own country, and a villain to others, but that’s what made him so special.

It’s hard to capture his story in one feature-length film, but acclaimed documentarian Asif Kapadia manages it with aplomb in the aptly-titled Diego Maradona. It embraces the chaos of Maradona’s career, includes a ton of never-before-seen footage, getting up close and personal with those who knew him best. While highly entertaining, the documentary also feels intimate and grand in scope. You can check this one out on NOW Cinema.

In this list, we’ve assembled fun documentaries, insightful and educational films, and even a couple of more emotional stories, too. With Gascoigne, you get the whole package, and then some. Much like Diego Maradona, Paul Gascoigne has always been a larger-than-life character who dazzled crowds with his skills and displayed the kind of creativity and wildcard energy you just can’t help but admire.

This Julia Frances documentary is as riveting to watch as the man himself, with wonderful moments of levity effectively juxtaposed against raw and very moving insights into Gazza’s troubled upbringing and mental health struggles as an adult. Unfortunately, this film isn’t on NOW Cinema as of May 24, but you can rent it for just £3.49 on Apple TV.