Slide tackle into the drama of soccer cinema, where every goal, gag, and gritty tackle hits home.
From cult classics to hidden gems, our selection nets the full spectrum of pitch-perfect storytelling.
Lace-up for an epic matchday with the top soccer movies, shows, and documentaries in our starting lineup.
Best Soccer Movies, Shows, and Documentaries:
- Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
- Goal! (2005)
- The Damned United (2009)
- Victory (1981)
- Green Street Hooligans (2005)
- Shaolin Soccer (2001)
- Ladybugs (1992)
- Kicking & Screaming (2005)
- She’s the Man (2006)
- Mean Machine (2001)
- The Big Green (1995)
Table of Contents
- #1 Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
- #2 Goal! (2005)
- #3 The Damned United (2009)
- #4 Victory (1981)
- #5 Green Street Hooligans (2005)
- #6 Shaolin Soccer (2001)
- #7 Ladybugs (1992)
- #9 She’s the Man (2006)
- #10 Mean Machine (2001)
- #11 The Big Green (1995)
- What is the best Soccer movie of all time?
- What are some good Soccer movies?
- What Soccer movies, shows, and documentaries are on Netflix?
#1 Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
- 🎬 Directed by: Gurinder Chadha
- 🌟 Starring: Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers
“Bend It Like Beckham” is a charming and inspirational film set in London. It tells the tale of Jess Bhamra (Parminder Nagra), a Sikh girl with a passion for soccer, who idolizes David Beckham.
Despite her parents’ disapproval, she joins a local women’s team and befriends fellow player Jules (Keira Knightley). The movie explores cultural clashes, family pressures, and the pursuit of dreams, all while showcasing the beautiful game of soccer.
Where to watch: Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video
#2 Goal! (2005)
- 🎬 Directed by: Danny Cannon
- 🌟 Starring: Kuno Becker, Alessandro Nivola, Anna Friel
In “Goal!”, a talented young footballer named Santiago Munez (Kuno Becker) is given the chance of a lifetime: a trial with English Premier League club Newcastle United.
Munez embarks on an incredible journey from Los Angeles to England, overcoming significant obstacles along the way. This uplifting film highlights the power of determination and the universal appeal of soccer as a path to a better life.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
#3 The Damned United (2009)
- 🎬 Directed by: Tom Hooper
- 🌟 Starring: Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall, Colm Meaney
“The Damned United” portrays the tumultuous 44-day tenure of Brian Clough (Michael Sheen) as the manager of Leeds United in 1974.
Based on the bestselling book by David Peace, the film explores Clough’s abrasive management style and his strained relationships with players and other managers, specifically his predecessor Don Revie. It’s a gripping sports drama with strong performances and an insight into English football’s past.
Where to watch: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
#4 Victory (1981)
- 🎬 Directed by: John Huston
- 🌟 Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, Pelé
“Victory,” also known as “Escape to Victory,” is a war film-sports drama hybrid featuring a group of Allied POWs who are orchestrated to play a football match against the German National Team, all while planning an escape.
Sylvester Stallone and Michael Caine star alongside actual soccer legends like Pelé, in a movie that blends the excitement of a soccer match with the tension of a WWII escape plot.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
#5 Green Street Hooligans (2005)
- 🎬 Directed by: Lexi Alexander
- 🌟 Starring: Elijah Wood, Charlie Hunnam, Claire Forlani
“Green Street Hooligans” delves into the world of football hooliganism through the eyes of Matt Buckner (Elijah Wood), an American student expelled from Harvard who visits his sister’s family in London.
He befriends her brother-in-law’s brother (Charlie Hunnam) and gets drawn into the violent underworld of football firms. The film offers a gritty look at fanatical football fan groups and their fierce loyalties.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu
#6 Shaolin Soccer (2001)
- 🎬 Directed by: Stephen Chow
- 🌟 Starring: Stephen Chow, Zhao Wei, Ng Man Tat
“Shaolin Soccer” is a Hong Kong martial arts comedy that blends Kung Fu and football to create an entertaining and offbeat movie.
It follows a Shaolin monk (Stephen Chow) who reunites with his brothers to form a soccer team, applying their martial arts skills in unconventional ways to play the game. It’s a fusion of sports and action with a heavy dose of humor.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu
#7 Ladybugs (1992)
- 🎬 Directed by: Sidney J. Furie
- 🌟 Starring: Rodney Dangerfield, Jackée Harry, Jonathan Brandis
“Ladybugs” is a comedy starring Rodney Dangerfield as Chester, a salesman roped into coaching a struggling girl’s soccer team.
To turn the team into winners, Chester enlists his fiancée’s son, Matthew (Jonathan Brandis), to disguise himself as a girl and join the team. The film delivers a classic ’90s slapstick style, with themes of teamwork and gender roles lightly touched upon.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
#8 Kicking & Screaming (2005)
- 🎬 Directed by: Jesse Dylan
- 🌟 Starring: Will Ferrell, Robert Duvall, Mike Ditka
“Kicking & Screaming” is a family comedy where Will Ferrell plays Phil Weston, a man who ends up coaching his son’s soccer team and goes head-to-head with his competitive father (Robert Duvall), who coaches a rival team.
With little knowledge about soccer, Phil becomes increasingly obsessed with winning, leading to a series of comedic episodes. The movie’s humor is geared toward exploring parental involvement and the intensity of youth sports.
Where to watch: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
#9 She’s the Man (2006)
- 🎬 Directed by: Andy Fickman
- 🌟 Starring: Amanda Bynes, Channing Tatum, Laura Ramsey
In “She’s the Man,” Amanda Bynes plays Viola Hastings, a soccer player who disguises herself as her twin brother to play for the boys’ team at his new boarding school while he is away.
The film is a modern twist on Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” and tackles issues of gender, identity, and love – all on the soccer field. Channing Tatum co-stars as Viola’s teammate and love interest.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu
#10 Mean Machine (2001)
- 🎬 Directed by: Barry Skolnick
- 🌟 Starring: Vinnie Jones, David Kelly, Jason Statham
“Mean Machine” is an adaptation of the American football movie “The Longest Yard,” transposed to an English context and soccer.
It stars former footballer Vinnie Jones as Danny Meehan, a disgraced former soccer star who ends up in prison. Inside, he organizes a match between the prisoners and the guards, turning it into a riotous and gritty contest. It’s a rough-edged comedy with plenty of action on and off the pitch.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
#11 The Big Green (1995)
- 🎬 Directed by: Holly Goldberg Sloan
- 🌟 Starring: Steve Guttenberg, Olivia d’Abo, Jay O. Sanders
“The Big Green” is a family sports comedy set in a small Texas town, where an English teacher named Anna Montgomery (Olivia d’Abo) introduces soccer to the local school children.
With the help of a down-and-out former soccer player (Steve Guttenberg), she brings together a group of misfit kids to form a soccer team. The movie is a feel-good underdog story that emphasizes the importance of teamwork and community.
Where to watch: Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
What is the best Soccer movie of all time?
“Bend It Like Beckham” (2002) is the best Soccer movie of all time, charming audiences with its inspiring story and cultural impact on the sport.
What are some good Soccer movies?
“Goal! The Dream Begins” (2005), “The Damned United” (2009), and “Escape to Victory” (1981) are good Soccer movies with compelling stories on and off the pitch.
What Soccer movies, shows, and documentaries are on Netflix?
The best Soccer movies, shows, and documentaries on Netflix currently are “The English Game” (2020), “Becoming Champions” (2018), and “Sunderland ‘Til I Die” (2018-2020).
