Photo: Screenshot
With high drama, high stakes and high salaries involved, devoted football fans might reckon that 90-odd minutes of the beautiful game is more than entertaining enough. For the rest of us (especially those who like soccer with a side of romance, action, Nazis, French philosophy or gender politics), there are plenty of football-inspired TV shows, documentaries or movies to watch. Here’s our pick of the bunch.
Fever Pitch (1997)
Colin Firth plays Paul Ashworth in this loose re-telling of English writer Nick Hornby's best-selling memoir, Fever Pitch: A Fan's Life about growing up as an Arsenal obsessive. Football is everything to Paul – even when fellow teacher Sarah (Ruth Gemmell) enters his life. It’s peak 90s romcom, with lots of classic English awkwardness.
Notable for: The great soundtrack - The La’s, The Smiths, Van Morrison, Lisa Stansfield, Lloyd Cole and The Commotions – serves up extra nostalgia.
Available on Apple TV
Shaolin Soccer (2004)
Shaolin kung fu devotee Sing has lost his mojo. Can he find it again through the healing power of football? You don’t have to know much about football, or kung fu, to figure out who is going to win the cash prize and glory on offer in a national football contest, especially when the opponents are called ‘Team Evil’.
Notable for: Smashing all box office records – it was the highest-grossing film in Hong Kong for several years following its release.
Available on Apple TV
Escape to Victory (1981)
Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, Max von Sydow and football legends Pele and Bobby Moore star in this World War II tale that sets the traditional Nazis vs Allies battle on a Paris football pitch in 1942. The film’s said to be inspired by a real-life match in which the Allies were given the choice of losing and being able to escape or winning and being shot.
Notable for: Pele – arguably the world’s best footballer – plays true-to-type with some spectacular footwork on the pitch (not that any of his fellow actors, especially Stallone, are much threat).
Available via Alice Video
The Damned United (2009)
“Football is a beautiful game, it needs to be played beautifully,” intones doomed Leeds United manager Brian Clough (played by Michael Sheen). Clough lasted just 44 tumultuous days in the role in 1974. Football purists were offended by the film’s interpretation of events and historical inaccuracies when it came out, but Rotten Tomatoes reckons it’s ‘better than your average football pic’.
Looking For Eric (2009)
Depressed postie Eric (Steve Everts) is on a downward spiral until he finds new inspiration from famously philosophical French football hero Eric Cantona. Directed by the legendary Ken Loach, who displays an uncharacteristically light touch.
Notable for: Making the most of Cantona’s gnomic utterances. Sample line: “I am not a man… I am Cantona.”
Available on Apple TV, Google Play, AroVideo OnDemand
Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
Jess (Parminder Nagra) wants to play football with her pal Juliette (Keira Knightley) but her traditional Indian parents aren’t so keen on the idea. The Guardian called it “undemanding and unambitious” and some of it hasn’t aged that well (hello, romantic involvement between coach and player!) but the film that made Keira Knightley a star still holds its own.
Notable for: An excellent condiments-based explanation of the offside rule.
Available on Disney+, YouTube, Google Play.
Welcome To Wrexham (2022)
Charming Hollywood princes Ryan Reynolds and his actor mate Rob McElhenney ride into town to save ailing Welsh football club AFC Wrexham in a tale that’s almost too good to be true. Club top brass, players and loyal fans are suspicious and grateful in equal parts. Will they make it or be relegated again? Spoiler alert: there are two seasons.
Notable for: Reynold’s starry X-factor looms large (like his financial investment), but Welcome to Wrexham does a good job of focusing on the grittier lives of fans and players.
Available on Disney+
Ted Lasso (2022)
Don’t know anything about football? Then learn along with coach Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis), a living, breathing dupe for The Simpsons’ Ned Flanders who becomes coach of lowly-ranked London football club AFC Richmond. Excellent performances from Hannah Waddingham (club owner Rebecca Welton) and Grover-ish Brett Goldstein (perpetually furious ageing player Roy Kent).
Notable for: Cheesy lines delivered with heart. Oh, and occasionally some football.
Available on Apple TV.
United (2011)
A dramatic, moving re-telling of the true story of Manchester United's "Busby Babes" and the aftermath of the 1958 Munich air disaster which killed 23 people, including eight of United’s young squad.
Notable for: A man-of-the-match performance by David Tennant.
Available on Prime, YouTube
Mike Bassett: England Manager (2001)
When the manager of England’s national team has a heart attack, most people sensibly turn down the hospital pass of taking on the role. Mike Bassett (Ricky Tomlinson), manager of lowly Norwich, takes on the job and ably demonstrates why he should have remained helming a so-so team from the lower leagues.
Notable for: “Ladies and gentlemen, England will be playing four, four, f…..g, two”
Available via Alice Video
Gregory's Girl (1981)
This heart-warming Scottish flick, directed by Bill Forsyth, tells the story of gawky, gangly Gregory who develops a shine for Dorothy. She’s recently made it into the school football team and is by far the best player.
Notable for: Gregory’s white DB jacket, beret and tie combo and appearance by Clare Grogan of Altered Images.
Available via Alice Video
