No World Cup games today? These soccer documentaries on Netflix will help you get through Sunday and Monday

The Bus: A French Football Mutiny

After failing to qualify for the 1990 and 1994 men’s World Cups, France roared back to prominence on soccer’s global stage. On home soil in 1998, the French lifted their first world crown - kicking off a period in which Les Bleus have so far reached four finals and, in 2018, added a second star to their crest. Moreover, after easing past Morocco in this summer’s quarterfinals, France are one step away from yet another title game, with bookmakers backing Kylian Mbappé and Co. to lift the country’s third World Cup.

But the French have also witnessed some serious World Cup lows this century. First came 2002’s limp trophy defense in South Korea and Japan, where they became the first of four straight title holders to exit at the group stage. Then, four years after a runners-up finish in 2006, the French imploded spectacularly in South Africa, enduring a first-round elimination that went down in soccer infamy. Les Bleus not only finished bottom of their group, losing to one of the worst tournament hosts in history, but did so amid breathtaking off-the-field strife.

Directed by Christophe Astruc and Jérôme Fritel, the feature-length documentary The Bus: A French Football Mutiny recounts the player revolt that rocked France’s 2010 campaign. Speaking to members of the squad, as well as then-head coach Raymond Domenech, it chronicles the strike mounted in protest at forward Nicolas Anelka’s expulsion from the roster. Anelka, a complicated character memorably nicknamed the ‘Incredible Sulk’, had been sent home from South Africa after reportedly telling Domenech: “Go fuck yourself, you son of a whore.” What followed Anelka’s alleged outburst, in the wake of France’s 2-0 defeat to Mexico, has been described as “one of the darkest days in the country’s football history”.

The Bus: A French Football Mutiny - watch the trailer:

Pelé

Despatched by Norway in this summer’s round of 16, Brazil endured their earliest exit from the men’s World Cup in 36 years. Suffered on the back of a historically bad qualification campaign, defeat to the Haaland-inspired Scandinavians means the Brazilians still have no better than a sole (humiliating) semifinal appearance to show for their last quarter-century of World Cup effort. The Seleçao, who lifted the last of their five titles in 2002, must now win the tournament in 2030 if they’re to avoid surpassing their longest ever run without going all the way.

Not since the early decades of the competition’s existence, following its inception in 1930, have Brazil endured 28 trophyless years at the men’s World Cup. After the event’s first five titles were snapped up by Uruguay (twice), Italy (twice) and West Germany, the Brazilians finally got their hands on the Jules Rimet Trophy in 1958, largely thanks to a 17-year-old breakout star who capped a 5-2 final win over Sweden with one of the World Cup’s most iconic solo goals.

In ’58, and over 12 subsequent years, Pelé established himself as an all-time World Cup great. He scored 12 goals across four tournaments, became the youngest player to score a World Cup hat-trick, and remains the only man to win the competition on three occasions.

Released in 2021, the year before he died at the age of 82, the documentary Pelé sits down for an in-depth interview with the forward, as it looks back over a stellar career that brought over 1,000 goals for club and country. Directed by Ben Nicholas and David Tryhorn, the film also explores how Pelé navigated his emergence as a prominent Brazilian figure during a period in which the South American country fell under the rule of a brutal military dictatorship.

Pelé - watch the trailer:

USA 94: Brazil’s Return to Glory

Brazil’s final World Cup win of the Pelé era, in 1970, has become a byword for sexy soccer. ‘O Rei’ spearheaded a fabulous side which, in a 4-1 final demolition of Italy, scored one of the great team goals: a sublime move capped by the sang-froid deftness of Pelé’s layoff to Carlos Alberto, and the power and precision with which the latter utterly walloped in his first-time finish.

When Brazil next won the World Cup, there was rather less jogo bonito on display. Coached by Carlos Alberto Parreira, and skippered by the exceedingly flair-free midfielder Dunga, the Brazil of ’94 was, in the words of the World Cup historian Jonathan Wilson, a “functional team elevated only by the excellence of their two forwards, Romário and Bebeto”. As in 1970, Parreira’s team defeated the Italians in the final; this time, though, it was a cagey scoreless draw settled by the first ever penalty shootout in a World Cup title decider.

While it may not have been won in Brazil’s signature samba style, it was, nonetheless, a watershed World Cup for the Seleçao, given it ended a seemingly interminable wait for the team’s fourth star. Just like the Brazil of today, the Canarinha had not reached the summit of the global game in 24 years - “way too long for the Brazilian team”, defender Marcio Santos tells the makers of the documentary USA 94: Brazil’s Return to Glory.

In addition to curbing their title drought, the Brazilians’ victory marked the start of three straight final appearances; a feat achieved by only two other nations, the run culminated in renewed title success in ’02. And the ’94 tournament was certainly not won without memorable moments along the way: Baggio’s penalty miss, Leonardo’s infamous sending-off, Bebeto’s rock-the-cradle celebration…

An 86-minute film directed by Luis Ara, Brazil’s Return to Glory documents how the team triumphed in the face of “tremendous pressure, skepticism in the press, and distrust from fans”, Netflix says.

USA 94: Brazil’s Return to Glory - watch the trailer:

Check out the full list of Netflix’s soccer documentaries.

How much is a Netflix subscription?

Viewers in the U.S. can sign up to Netflix’s ad-free standard plan for $19.99 a month, and to its ad-free premium plan for $26.99 a month. A standard plan with ads is also available, for $8.99 a month.

When does the 2026 World Cup return? Dates, times, how to watch

This summer’s World Cup resumes on Tuesday, July 14, when the semifinals begin in the U.S. In a repeat of their last-four clash at Euro 2024, Spain and France meet in Arlington, Texas, with kickoff scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET/12 noon PT.

La Roja or Les Bleus will advance to a final matchup against either Argentina or England. In the second semifinal, the Albiceleste and the Three Lions face off in Atlanta, Georgia, on Wednesday, July 15. Kickoff is at 3:00 p.m. ET/12 noon PT.

If you’re in the U.S., you can watch both games on Fox Network, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, Fox One and fubo.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.