CineCrossroads: 7 football documentaries every fan should watch
Football has inspired countless documentaries, revealing the stories behind legendary players, iconic clubs and some of the sport's most unforgettable moments. Qazinform News Agency has selected seven football documentaries that every fan should add to their watchlist.
Take The Ball, Pass The Ball (2018)
The documentary explores FC Barcelona's golden era under Pep Guardiola between 2008 and 2012. Featuring interviews with Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, Thierry Henry and other key figures, it tells the story of how Barcelona won 14 trophies, examines the influence of Johan Cruyff's philosophy and revisits the club's fierce rivalry with José Mourinho's Real Madrid.
Sunderland 'Til I Die (2018)
Originally expected to chronicle Sunderland's push for promotion back to the Premier League, the Netflix production instead captured a dramatic collapse as the club suffered a second consecutive relegation. Through behind-the-scenes access, the series explores the emotional impact of failure on players, staff and one of England's most passionate fan bases.
The Class of '92 (2013)
The documentary follows David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and brothers Gary and Phil Neville from Manchester United's famous youth academy. Covering the period from the club's FA Youth Cup triumph in 1992 to the historic Treble-winning season of 1999, the film explores how a group of talented teenagers became one of the most successful generations in football history.
Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (2006)
Rather than telling the story of Zinedine Zidane's career, this experimental documentary focuses on a single La Liga match between Real Madrid and Villarreal in 2005. Filmed in real time using 17 synchronized cameras, the project follows Zidane throughout the game, capturing his movements, emotions and interactions on the pitch to create an intimate portrait of one of football's greatest players.
The Two Escobars (2010)
One of the most powerful football documentaries ever made. The film tells the intertwined stories of Colombian defender Andrés Escobar and drug lord Pablo Escobar, exploring how football, politics and organized crime became tragically connected in Colombia during the 1980s and 1990s. The documentary also examines the events that led to Andrés Escobar's murder following the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
Hillsborough (2016)
This emotional documentary revisits the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, when 96 Liverpool supporters lost their lives and hundreds more were injured in a stadium crush. Through archival footage and testimony from survivors and victims' families, the film examines one of the darkest chapters in football history and the decades-long fight for truth and justice that followed.
Ronaldinho: The One and Only (2026)
The three-part Netflix documentary traces Ronaldinho's journey from a talented youngster in Porto Alegre to one of football's greatest entertainers and a Ballon d'Or winner. Through interviews with Ronaldinho, his family, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo and other football figures, the series explores both his extraordinary success on the pitch and the controversies that marked his later years, offering a balanced portrait of the Brazilian icon.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency compiled a list of the 10 most handsome footballers in the world.
