Top 10 best football TV series
For true football fans, we love experiencing sport in all its forms, which is why we enjoy not only watching games and playing the sport ourselves, but also reading about football, watching football movies, and even watching football-themed TV series. So, for all you football fans out there, we've already shared a list of the best football movies, and now we're presenting a top 10 list of the best football series.
Jossy's Giants (1986)
The British, as the creators of football, have also been pioneers in some other areas, and the TV series that have become popular in recent years were already released in the 1980s, such as Jossy's Giants. A comedy mostly aimed at children, it tells the story of a football team and its coach, Joswell "Jossy" Blair, a rather unusual figure. The series had a very funny approach and showed an innocent side of football. It also included some rather interesting cameos.IMDb rating: 7,6
Dream Team (1997)
One of the longest-running series on the list, which ran for 10 seasons over a period of 10 years (1997-2007). Dream Team, another British production, had a story with more drama and romance than Jossy's Giants and told the stories within a fictional professional club called Harchester United. The show's long run allowed for a sense of realism within the series in the sense that characters (players) changed as the seasons passed, just like any football team. This led to the cast changing over the years, something that helped keep Dream Team fresh.IMDb rating: 7,6
Maradona: Sueño Bendito (2021)
A year after the death of the great Argentine star, this series was released. It only lasted one season of 10 episodes but was very well received by the public, especially the Argentinian public, whose admiration for Maradona made them the most difficult audience for the series. From a cinematic perspective, the series' image is quite good, with real footage that greatly helps make the show feel closer to reality, even though not everything that happens is true to the early years of the great Argentine football player's career.IMDb rating: 7,1
Club de Cuervos (2015)
It's an original story about two brothers who, after the death of their father, inherit the Cuervos de Nuevo Toledo club. This leads to problems, as each has a different perspective on what the club should be. While one aspires to make it the best club on the continent, the other believes they should focus on avoiding relegation. Interestingly, this Mexican production is the first Netflix original series in Spanish, released in 2015 and running until 2019, thanks to its four seasons.IMDb rating: 8,2
Galera FC (2021)
Another completely original story with a notable focus on comedy. The series, which launched in 2021 and has a single 10-episode season, tells the story of Elton, a great player who wants to quit football but finds it very difficult to do so since it's the only thing he's good at. Furthermore, his retirement could cause him to hurt and affect many of the people around him in many ways. The Brazilian production results in a very funny and eloquent show.IMDb rating: 8,1
La Seleccion (2013)
The Colombian national team enjoyed great popularity in the 1980s and 1990s, and in 2013, they decided to make a television series starring Carlos Valderrama, Freddy Rincón, René Higuita, and Faustino Asprilla. That Colombian generation managed to return to the World Cup, exciting the entire country and bringing players who were emigrating to Europe. In the process, these players endured many experiences and situations that are revisited in this series. The excellent casting was a highlight, as the resemblance between the series' protagonists and the real-life players was more than noticeable.IMDb rating: 7,8
Mustangs FC (2017)
This Australian production consisted of 39 episodes across 3 seasons, which aired between 2017 and 2020. The series follows the story of a small, local all-girls football team, focusing on the challenges they face both on and off the field, and the relationships among the players. The main character is Marnie, a young woman who is part of the team and lives with her mother, stepfather, and stepsister. The show is quite family-friendly and aims to promote women's football; its reception was generally positive, and it even aired in the United States.IMDb rating: 7,5
Åshojdens BK (1985)
This is the oldest series on the list, but that doesn't diminish its quality or relevance. The show was produced in Sweden and was based on a series of books of the same name, written by Max Lundgren. The story follows a small football club in the Scandinavian country that manages to climb the ranks of the Swedish football league thanks to the arrival of Bagarn Olsson, a major national football star, who helps the team improve gradually. Despite being several decades old, the series remains very relevant today, as many smaller clubs have experienced similar journeys.IMDb rating: 7,3
The English Game (2020)
The English Game is a historical drama that tells the story of the origins of football through two characters from different social classes, united by their love of the sport. In the era in which the series is set (the late 19th century), football was a sport primarily for the upper class, a dynamic that evolves throughout the show. The series has excellent production values and, to a certain extent, maintains historical accuracy regarding dates and events of the period. This British miniseries consists of six episodes, all of which were released in 2020 on Netflix.IMDb rating: 7,6
Ted Lasso (2020)
2020 was an important year for humanity, and it was also an important year for football-themed series, as, in addition to The English Game, we also got Ted Lasso, produced for Apple+. The show is a comedy with some dramatic elements, telling the story of an American football coach who, trying to turn his life around, accepts a job as a football coach for a team in the English Premier League. He doesn't know much about the sport, but his genuine and likeable personality and his way of interacting with people help him navigate this completely new world. The story is very entertaining and is a must-watch for any football fan, as it features many humorous scenes with plenty of references that any football enthusiast will easily understand.IMDb rating: 8,8
Final words
No matter if you're into the emotional drama of a series like Dream Team, the humor of Ted Lasso, or the history behind The English Game, these football series prove that the sport's magic extends far beyond the pitch. All these series capture the passion, dreams, and challenges that make football the world's most popular and beloved sport - even when told through scripted stories.So, when there's no interesting match to watch, grab some popcorn, press play, and let these shows remind you why we all love football in the first place.