With Argentina, France, Morocco and Croatia slated to play the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar early tomorrow and the day after, it’s time for football fans to soak in the excitement of the closing stage of the greatest show on earth. Here are five fictional football shows on Netflix, Prime Video and Apple TV + that’ll hook you to the magic of football, perfectly summed up by former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson in one of his epic quips about the game— “Football, bloody hell!”
The English Game
This British sports drama miniseries explores the historical roots of the modern game through the lens of fiction. Developed by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, The English Game, featuring Edward Holcroft, Kevin Guthrie, Charlotte Hope, Alma Kinnaird, Niamh Walsh, Craig Parkinson and James Harkness, chronicles the origins of modern association football in England in the late 19th century.
The six-part series follows a young bunch of footballers from different walks of life who come together to change the game. These individuals fight for equality in the game while going through numerous personal and professional hurdles.
Watch it on: Netflix
Apache: The Life of Carlos Tevez
This eight-episode biographical sports drama series portrays one of Argentina’s most talked-about strikers — Carlos Tevez — whose rise to prominence is an inspirational story. A hard-working and dynamic attacker, Tevez rose through the ranks in spite of a hard-hitting and tumultuous early life.
The show stars Balthazar Murillo as Carlos Tevez alongside Sofía Gala and Vanesa González in lead roles. It revolves around Tevez’s rise as a football player amid the conditions in Argentina’s notorious Ejército de Los Andes neighbourhood in Buenos Aires. Apache: The Life of Carlos Tevez showcases the gritty reality of the neighbourhood and how Tevez’s talent and passion for football saved him.
Watch it on: Netflix
Maradona, Blessed Dream
This Argentine biographical series chronicles the life and career of Diego Armando Maradona, one of the most enigmatic players to have ever graced the game of football. The series stars Juan Palomino as Maradona and also features Nazareno Casero, Nicolás Goldschmidt, Julieta Cardinali, Laura Esquivel, Mercedes Morán, Peter Lanzani, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Marcelo Mazzarello and Pepe Monje.
Considered one of the most gifted footballers of all time, Maradona still divides public opinion for his controversial on and off-field antics. Maradona, Blessed Dream tells the legend’s story from his beginnings in Villa Fiorito to his success with Barcelona, Napoli and the Argentina national team. It also chronicles some of the most crucial relationships and defining moments from his personal life.
Watch it on: Amazon Prime Video
Ted Lasso
This multiple Emmy-winning sports comedy drama is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed shows. Created by Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt and Joe Kelly, Ted Lasso stars Sudeikis as a typical American, full of hope and raw optimism, trying to win over the sceptical English market. It also features an ensemble cast of Hannah Waddingham, Jeremy Swift, Juno Temple, Brendan Hunt and Brett Goldstein.
The series was adapted from a 2013 NBC Sports advertisement campaign for the Premier League. Seven years later, this very bizarre framing of the advertisement became the premise of Ted Lasso.
Watch it on: Apple TV+
Club de Cuervos
This Mexican sports comedy drama is one of the first Spanish-language Netflix original series. Created by Gary Alazraki and Michael Lam, the series stars Luis Gerardo Méndez and Mariana Treviño in lead roles alongside Stephanie Cayo, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Antonio de la Vega, Jesús Zavala and Melissa Barrera.
Set in the fictional city of Nuevo Toledo, Mexico, Club de Cuervos focuses on a family-owned football club, both on and off the field. After the sudden death of the patriarch, there is a power struggle between the two siblings over the ownership and direction of the family’s treasured football team.
Watch it on: Netflix
