Highlights
- Sports documentaries are growing in popularity, offering fans a behind-the-scenes look at athletes and teams.
- Some notable sports documentaries to watch include narratives on Kalvin Phillips' journey, Peter Crouch's career, and the effects of a plant-based diet on athletes.
- Popular streaming platforms like Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Disney+ are producing compelling sports documentaries that captivate audiences.
Sports documentaries are becoming a common thing on streaming sites. We see a new documentary drop every month that pulls us into a sport, a sports star's life or a gripping story from the past.
We’re used to seeing documentaries about superstars, but now we’re getting more behind-the-scenes and fly-on-the-wall documentaries than ever. As fans, we love this look behind the curtain, whether it's the Premier League, Champions League, NBA or others, and producers have caught on to this and have started taking full advantage.
With that in mind, we’ve decided to find the 15 best sports documentaries to watch in 2023. This includes shows that are new on your screens, as well as some older ones that are still a must-watch for any sports fan.
Please bear in mind that these shows are available to view from Amazon Prime, Netflix and Disney+ - all of which require a monthly subscription fee to access their respective services.
Read more:
17 Kalvin Phillips: The Road To City - Amazon Prime
Taking us on a deep dive into Kalvin Phillips' football odyssey, the documentary sheds light on his move from Leeds United to the powerhouse, Manchester City. It doesn't stop there; the film intricately retraces his memorable run with England, culminating in the unforgettable moments of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The narrative kicks off with the nail-biting climax of the 2021/22 season, where Phillips stood as a beacon of hope for Leeds, helping them stave off relegation. As the final whistle of the season blew, the cameras transitioned to the intense and often unseen world of football transfers, capturing Phillips' pivotal shift to Manchester City.
But the City dream wasn't all sunshine and rainbows for Phillips. His inaugural season at the Etihad saw its fair share of trials, riddled with injuries and sparse playtime. Thanks to this documentary, fans are privy to an unfiltered glimpse into Phillips' resilience, capturing his candid reactions to these challenges.
Adding a poignant touch, the film delves into Phillips' personal realm, offering insights from his close-knit family. A heart-tugging segment centres on Phillips opening up about his father's incarceration and the profound impact it's had on his life.
Read more: The 15 biggest traitors in football ranked, ft. Cole, Ibrahimovic and Ronaldo
16 That Peter Crouch Film - Amazon Prime
It seemed a matter of time before we had a Peter Crouch film, and Amazon Prime snapped up the chance. The documentary takes us on the journey of Crouch’s career from a youngster to post-retirement. We get a look at clips from his youth football days, and a glimpse into Crouch meeting his wife, Abbey Clancy. Abbey features heavily in the film, giving us a different view into Crouch's career.
Crouch stole the hearts of all football fans, but his ride to the top wasn’t easy. During the film, he talks about the lows of being booed by the whole stadium on his England debut. We quickly see how he proved his doubters wrong by scoring goals.
15 The Game Changers - Netflix
This film may not be as recent, but it’s a great watch for any sports fan. The documentary is about athletes who are on plant-based diets. It looks at the effects on health, recovery, and performance.
James Wilks, the lead of the documentary, starts by exploring the vegetarian diet among Roman gladiators. Wilks goes on to interview scientists, physicians, and athletes. There’s also a noticeable appearance from Arnold Schwarzenegger, who discusses how he's changed his diet.
The film received mixed reviews. Actor Dolph Lundgren said he became a vegan after watching the film. Others argued that the benefits of being a vegan athlete were still up for debate.
14 We Are Newcastle United - Amazon Prime
The latest in the wide array of Amazon Prime documentaries, We Are Newcastle United, follows the Magpies after their takeover. We hear from those at the top, players, manager, and their passionate fans.
It documents the developments on and off the field while addressing the controversy over the takeover. Newcastle chair Yasir Al-Rumayyan and part owner Amanda Staveley discuss the claims of sports washing openly. They also talk to Newcastle fans about their thoughts on the controversy.
We also get to see behind the scenes of their long-drawn-out chase for Anthony Gordon. Staveley comes off as a steely negotiator as she goes back and forth with Everton over the deal.
13 South Of The River - BT Sports Films
Hosted by ex-Manchester United man, Rio Ferdinand, he explores why South London is such a hotspot for English talent. Rio visits the area of London where the likes of Jadon Sancho, Eberechi Eze, and Tammy Abraham all grew up.
The three-part series features Premier League players from London’s most attractive football catchment area. It’s the heartfelt testimonies from those aspiring to follow in their role model’s footsteps that make it a must-watch. Rio meets with players who are fighting to earn a contract while fighting to avoid the lure of gangs.
The documentary perfectly displays the talents of South London, but also explores the dangers young people in the area face.
12 Shaq - HBO & Sky Show
A four-part documentary about one of the NBA's greatest players. Shaq explores Shaquille O’Neal’s upbringing, early basketball experiences, and his development as a player. We learn how Shaq grew up with his mother and Army Sergeant Phillip Harrison. Harrison took on the role of father in Shaq’s life. Shaq described how some of the stuff that Harrison did would be frowned upon now, but how it worked for him.
Later, we see how Shaq became one of the most dominant players in the NBA. While we see his domination, we also see how his on-court play took a toll on his body. The documentary also gets Shaq's views on his trade away from the LA Lakers during a time of dominance for them.
11 Beckham - Netflix
The House of Beckham is a global brand, an unparalleled entity that has transcended both football and music. The Netflix documentary, Beckham offers unprecedented access into the lives of the Beckham family, with matriarch and partiarch, Victoria and David at its very forefront. The documentary series explores the couple's lives, rise to fame and footballing and musical stardom, and their once tumultuous love life. David Beckham's life in football is the main narrative strand explored throughout, from his formative years at Manchester United's Academy to his star boy existence as Manchester United, Real Madrid, and England's poster boy.
Read more: 'BECKHAM' docuseries: Release date, how to watch, trailer and more
10 Full Swing - Netflix
After the success of Formula 1: Drive To Survive, the producers were quick to find another sport to follow. Full Swing follows the lives of golfers at different levels of the game. We also hear from some of the game's top talent, including Rory McIlroy and Jordan Speith.
The series was filmed around the time of the breakaway LIV Tour. This adds another layer to the series as we see the fallout between players and those in charge. We hear from both sides, giving us a balanced argument, but the tension between both sides is clear with players not afraid to voice their concerns about LIV.
A second series has been confirmed by Netflix. Golf will be hoping to see an increase in viewers, similar to that F1 saw after their series.
9 Break Point - Netflix
The same producers as Full Swing also produced the show, Break Point, which follows the lives of tennis stars. Using the same fly-on-the-wall style, coupled with sit-down interviews, we see the ups and downs of a player's season on the ATP and WTA tour.
One star of the show is Nick Kyrgios. The Australian is often seen as the pantomime villain when he’s on court, and he usually lives up to that title. In this series, we get to go behind that mask and find out about the real Kyrgios. He discusses frankly his rough recent past and the stress being a teenage sensation had on him.
8 Stephen Curry: Underrated - Apple TV
It’s hard to imagine one of the most successful 3-point shooters of all time could be labelled ‘underrated’. However, as we find out throughout this documentary, not everyone was sold straight away on Steph Curry. Despite this, we are shown how he mastered the art of shooting.
With exclusive access to Curry’s family life and interviews with his parents, it’s clear to see Curry is a man with family values and a great work ethic. This work ethic is both on and off the court. We watch as Curry goes back to Davidson College, virtually, and eventually graduates with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology.
7 The Redeem Team - Netflix
America and basketball go hand-in-hand. However, for a brief period, the nation that boasts the world's best players struggled on the international stage. This documentary follows the US Olympic Men’s Basketball Team’s journey to reclaim the gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics following a disaster four years earlier in Athens.
Mike "Coach K" Krzyzewski is made head coach, and he decides to call up the NBA’s best. Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, and LeBron James are brought in, but they struggle at first. Then we see how the decision to bring Kobe Bryant into the fold changes things. The behind-the-scenes videos and interviews show how Kobe’s influence drove the team to success.
6 Welcome To Wrexham - Disney+
The fairy tale story of Wrexham being bought by two Hollywood actors caught everyone’s imagination. This documentary follows that process from their first intentions to the revolution at Wrexham, with the odd Hollywood star dropped in.
As you’d expect with a documentary involving Ryan Reynolds, there are laughs throughout the series. Reynolds also takes to explaining the unique football rules to any American fans, such as promotion and relegation. This shows the expected reach of Wrexham with their new ownership.
Not only do we hear from their superstar owners, but we also hear from lifelong fans of Wrexham. Their words bring us back down to earth from planet Hollywood.
5 Sunderland 'Til I Die - Netflix
One of the country's most historic clubs situated in the North East of England fell on hard times in 2017, when they were unceremoniously relegated from the Premier League. Season One of the documentary centres around Sunderland's attempts to bounce back to the top flight at the first time of asking, but in football, things doesn't always go to plan...
Following a football club in perennial crisis, a disillusioned fanbase, and uninterested owners, Sunderland 'Til I Die gets to the very heart of the meaning of football, and reveals why the sport really is the biggest soap opera in the world.
4 Last Chance U: Basketball - Netflix
The popular Netflix series, Last Chance U, goes from American football to basketball. There are two different series of Last Chance U: Basketball. Both series follow the Huskies of East Los Angeles College and their coach, Coach Moseley.
If you aren’t familiar with Last Chance U, it follows student-athletes with enormous talent but poor behaviour or unfortunate circ*mstances. Many have played at the highest levels of the student game but have been kicked out. This is their last chance to succeed.
We get a look at how Coach Moseley battles for success on the court for his career. We also see his fight to get his students good grades in the classroom. With moments of highs and lows, the series shows how the game of basketball can turn someone’s life around.
3 Quarterback - Netflix
With Peyton Manning as an executive producer, this series follows three quarterbacks through a season. We hear what they’re saying during a game and see what they do off the field with their families and local communities. It gives us an insight into the physical and mental burden playing as a quarterback has on them.
We follow Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins, and Marcus Mariota. The three are perfect examples of how a season as a quarterback can go. Mahomes, one of the best in the game, went on to win the Super Bowl. Cousins puts in a great season, but his team falls short. Mariota struggles and is replaced by his number two and leaves the club during the season.
2 Formula 1: Drive To Survive - Netflix
With Formula 1 viewing dying, they came together with Netflix to create a series that got old fans back and brought in new fans. If you aren’t an F1 fan, this series might change your mind. There have been five series of the hit Netflix show. The first was released in 2019 and the show doesn’t look likely to stop.
The show has made legends of some of the people we wouldn’t normally see much of. Haas director, Guenther Steiner, has become a hero of the sport because of his appearances in the series. Daniel Riccardo is also a favourite in this show.
1 The Last Dance - Netflix
The G.O.A.T of sports documentaries about one of the G.O.A.T’s of sports. If you’ve not seen The Last Dance, what have you been doing? Focusing on the famous Chicago Bulls team of the 90’s, we find ourselves going from the 1997-98 season back to different years throughout.
A lot of the story is dominated by the career of Michael Jordan, with Jordan’s on and off-court life discussed. We also get a look at the careers and lives of other key parts of that Bulls roster. This includes Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Steve Kerr and Phil Jackson.
