Garrincha, the People’s Joy by Joaquim Pedro de Andrade
By: Guili Barki Minkovicius
If there is one thing capable of uniting Latin America across borders, it is soccer. Every four years, during the FIFA World Cup, cities slow down, offices empty, and millions of people put their daily routines on hold to watch their national teams for at least 90 minutes. In countries such as Brazil, national team matches often lead to shortened workdays or unofficial holidays, while in Argentina, it is not uncommon for provincial governments and municipalities to adjust schedules so employees can follow the games.
But Latin America’s passion for soccer extends far beyond the fields. The joys, rivalries, memories, triumphs, and heartbreaks that surround the sport have also found a permanent home on the silver screen. Over the decades, filmmakers across the region have used football as a lens through which to explore national identity, dictatorships, war, migration, childhood, social inequality, and dreams of upward mobility.
From beloved classics to contemporary productions, this selection demonstrates how football has become much more than a game in Latin America. Spanning documentaries, dramas, comedies, and even animation, these films reveal a recurring theme in the region’s cinema: the deep and often inseparable relationship between football and politics, both on and off the field.
UNDERDOGS / METEGOL
(Juan José Campanella, Argentina, 2013, 85 min. In Spanish with English subtitles)
Streaming on Tubi, Kanopy, and Prime Video
Football’s influence on Latin American cinema extends beyond documentaries and live-action dramas. Directed by Juan José Campanella, Underdog was one of the most ambitious productions in Argentine film history. Loosely based on Roberto Fontanarrosa’s short story “Memoirs of a Right Winger,” the animated feature follows Amadeo, a young man who embarks on an extraordinary adventure alongside the miniature players from his beloved foosball table. With a reported budget of $21 million, the film was among the most expensive ever produced in Argentina and the most expensive animated feature made in Latin America at the time of its release.
THIS IS PELE / ISTO É PELÉ
(Luiz Carlos Barreto, Brazil, 1974, 110 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles)
Streaming on Le Cinéma Club
Pelé, the “King of Soccer,” has inspired countless films and documentaries—enough to fill a list of his own. For this selection, however, This Is Pelé serves as the definitive introduction. Directed by Luiz Carlos Barreto in his feature debut, the film combines footage from Rede Globo and the iconic Canal 100 newsreels to chronicle the rise and achievements of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, the player who transformed football and became one of the most recognizable figures in sports history.
GARRINCHA: JOY OF THE PEOPLE / GARRINCHA, ALEGRIA DO POVO
(Joaquim Pedro de Andrade, Brazil, 1962, 60 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles)
Streaming on Prime Video (Film Movement +)
Directed by another leading figure of Brazil’s Cinema Novo movement, Garrincha: Joy of the People is a vibrant portrait of one of soccer’s greatest dribblers—arguably the greatest in the sport’s history—at the height of his career. Combining thrilling footage from the 1958 and 1962 World Cups with scenes of adoring crowds across Brazil, the documentary captures Garrincha at the peak of his fame. Born with bowed legs, he developed an unconventional style that made him one of the sport’s most beloved and unpredictable players. His later years, however, were marked by personal struggles and financial hardship, lending a bittersweet dimension to this enduring portrait of a national icon.
HELENO
(José Henrique Fonseca, Brazil, 2011, 116 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles)
Available to rent on Prime Video and Apple TV
José Henrique Fonseca crafts an ambitious and long overdue homage to a central icon in Brazil’s 20th century history. Reminiscent of film noir classics, the biopic tells the glorious and tragic story of the legendary football striker Heleno de Freitas. The sumptuous black and white cinematography reflects the chic life of Rio de Janeiro in the 1940s as it fell under the spell of sports royalty. Heleno was no doubt one of the most popular players of his time for his bravura in the field and magnificent goal-scoring that lead the Botafogo team to the top and himself into a vicious downward spiral.
CALICHÍN
(Ricardo Maldonado, Peru, 2016, 92 min. In Spanish with English subtitles)
Streaming on YoutubeTV and Amazon Prime (Vix Premium)
Calichín is a comedy about Calichín Delgado (Miyashiro), a renowned soccer player returns to his country from Europe but in steep decline. His goal is to recover his former glory in a second division club in the Peruvian highlands and also his little daughter.
THIS IS NOT A BALL
(Vik Muniz and Juan Rendon, Mexico, 2014, 90 min. In English, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese and Punjabi with English subtitles)
Available to rent on Apple TV
This is not a Ball is a documentary that follows the creative process of acclaimed Brazilian artist Vik Muniz in the months leading up to the 2014 World Cup as he plans and creates a major new artwork made of 10,000 soccer balls. It follows Muniz as he explores the global passion for soccer and the game's central object, the ball. In his journey, Muniz interacts with some of the most playful minds in science, like astrophysicist Neil deGrass Tyson, and some of the most extraordinary soccer players in the world, like those in the Sierra Leone Amputee Soccer League. Along the way, Muniz also meets ordinary people who share their stories about why they love the ball. He talks to children in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, social activists who use soccer to promote social change, and Pakistani soccer ball stitchers. Each of their narratives helps shape the artwork that Muniz creates: two large-scale images made with 10,000 balls at the Aztec Stadium in Mexico City and at Favela Vidigal in Rio de Janeiro.
MEXICO 86 / MÉXICO 86
(Gabriel Ripstein, Mexico, 2026, 95 min. In Spanish with English subtitles)
Streaming on Netflix
One of the newest entries on this list, Mexico 86 was released by Netflix to coincide with the excitement surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Blending sports, politics, and satire, the film tells the improbable story inspired by true events behind Mexico’s successful bid to host the 1986 World Cup. When a last-minute opportunity to stage the tournament emerges, a resourceful Mexican bureaucrat embarks on a high-stakes campaign to outmaneuver the United States and convince FIFA to bring the world’s biggest sporting event south of the border. Part sports drama and part political comedy, Mexico 86 has drawn comparisons to recent crowd-pleasing period pieces such as Marty Supreme, offering a fast-paced look at the intersection of football, national ambition, and international power.
BOYS SOCCER CLUB / MENINOS DE KICHUTE
(Luca Amberg, Brazil, 2009, 98 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles)
Streaming on Tubi
Set in a working-class neighborhood in Brazil during the 1970s, the film follows Beto, a 12-year-old boy who dreams of becoming the goalkeeper for the Brazilian national team. Amid the challenges of his modest upbringing, Beto must also contend with his father, Lázaro, who believes that sports are sinful. In the midst of it all, Beto and his friends form their own little club, the “Meninos de Kichute” (“The Kichute Boys”).
SUNDAY BALL / CAMPO DE JOGO
(Eryk Rocha, Brazil, 2015, 111 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles)
Streaming on OVID.tv
Set almost entirely in a traditional São Paulo bar, the film follows a group of former players, referees, coaches, and devoted fans as they gather to reminisce about glorious victories, controversial calls, near misses, and larger-than-life characters from the sport’s past. Through a series of humorous, nostalgic, and occasionally melancholic stories, Giorgetti captures the myths, rituals, and oral traditions that have made football such a central part of Brazilian life. More than a film about football, Boleiros is a film about memory, friendship, and the passage of time. Widely regarded as a cult classic of Brazilian cinema, it remains one of the most affectionate portrayals ever made of the community surrounding the beautiful game.
VINI JR. / BAILA, VINI
(Emílio Domingos, Andrucha Waddington, Brazil, 106 min. 2025, In Portuguese with English subtitles)
Streaming on Netflix
The documentary provides an in depth look at Vinícius Júnior’s journey, highlighting his skill, determination, and influence on and off the pitch. It features never-before-seen footage and exclusive interviews with Vinícius himself, as well as insights from footballers such as Neymar Jr., Jude Bellingham, Toni Kroos, Karim Benzema, and Thibaut Courtois. The film also explores his advocacy against racism in football, particularly incidents that occurred against Valencia CF fans during his time in La Liga.
