Best Netflix Sports Documentaries

Netflix makes and shares all kinds of productions from Hollywood movies to animations. We can also find lots of documentaries in its library, and many of them have a sports theme. They can be about the greatest teams/athletes to shocking scandals, they have one thing in common. All of them are worth watching either if you’re a sports fan or not. So, let’s see some of the best Netflix sports documentaries right now. 

Sports documentaries are so popular that we can watch several new sports-themed films and series every year. From the life stories of the biggest stars like Ronaldo, Pele, or Michael Schumacher to less famous athletes who are trying to become the best.  We can peep into the background of Formula 1, the Premier League, or the NBA. And get to know the biggest secrets of the sport from doping to abuse. Most of the stories though are very inspiring besides being entertaining. 

Last Chance U 

One of the most popular sports series on Netflix has been Last Chance U. It shows the lives of elite athletes with difficult pasts who get one more chance to prove their skills. They were sent to East Mississippi Community College to play junior college football. The series has five seasons now with each season following a different college team. We can learn about all the hard work that is required from athletes to become successful American football players. Full of emotions and drama, it is still one of the best Netflix sports documentaries. 

Sunderland ‘Til I Die 

Switching to soccer, another great series to watch on Netflix is Sunderland ‘Til I Die. It follows English football club Sunderland’s 2017/18 season in the EFL Championship. After the club was relegated from the Premier League in the previous season.

Expect lots of emotions here as well from anger to the joy of the fans. This documentary really focuses on the relationship between the club and the city, which is obsessed with football. In spite of suffering another relegation, the filmmakers followed the team in their next season as well in League One. The team is back now in the second tier. And you can make bets on their games on online sportsbooks in the UK. 

Formula 1: Drive to Survive

Probably the most famous sports series on Netflix is the one about the biggest auto race in the world. Formula 1: Drive to Survive. You can relive all the biggest moments of the previous F1 season thanks to the series. Which also uses lots of interviews and feedback from the pilots and the team principals.

The last, fourth season was especially interesting thanks to the duel between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen (and Red Bull and Mercedes). I’m not sure how exciting the new season will be after the dominance of the Dutch world champion. But looking into the Ferrari box will surely include lots of drama. You can also increase the excitement with making a bet on one of the online gambling sites in the UK for the next F1 race. 

Pele

It was time to make a documentary about the greatest football player of all time (no, we don’t think about Messi or Ronaldo), Pele. The film focuses on three World Cups that were crucial in Pele’s career between 1958 and 1970. It also gives some political and historical background of the decades he was playing.

Pele often appears in the film so we can get to know his personal view about several matters. And we can see interviews with his former teammates, Zagallo, Jairzinho, and Rivellino. And even though the documentary doesn’t highlight his genius, or emphasis Pele’s significance, it is a great film to watch for all football fans. 

Team Foxcatcher

The next sports documentary, Team Foxcatcher tells the thrilling story of John du Pont, a billionaire who built a wrestling center on his home property. And one of the best US wrestlers of the time, David Schulz, who was eventually killed by du Pont.

In spite of the successful film, Foxcatcher, this documentary doesn’t mention David’s older brother, Mark. It focuses more on the eccentric character of du Pont who turned into a killer due to his paranoia and mental illness. It is a fascinating story even without film stars, reflecting on a less known piece of sports history. 

Athlete A

Another tough film to watch is Athlete A. A documentary about the team doctor of the USA Gymnastics (USAG), Larry Nassar, and his sexual assaults on female gymnasts. We can also learn how journalists investigated the case and helped to reveal it in front of the public.

Thanks to their work and the confessions of the victims, Nassar was arrested. Along with Steve Penny, president of USAG who covered the abuse. The film won the Best Sports Documentary Award in the 2020 Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards. And it is one of the most important sports documentaries of recent years. Like Icarus that we mentioned in our previous article. 

Losers

Last but not least we have to mention a series that focuses on less successful athletes from different sports. In Losers, we get to know former boxer Michael Bentt who became a famous artist later. Or French figure skater Surya Bonely who had to fight against prejudices and racism in spite of being a terrific athlete.

Every figure in the series suffered defeats in their careers. But they could overcome them and become successful in other parts of life. Losers takes a unique view by focusing on failures instead of victories, which is the main reason for its success. 

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