Football movies to watch while in self-isolation

How to enjoy sports while the SARS-CoV-2 virus halts all major sporting events – watching football movies might help!

A few days after our first article on how to get some sports entertainment while major sports events are suspended because of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, things haven’t exactly taken a turn for the better. 

Italy has just been forced to take even stricter measures as the death toll is rising every day. And Spain has reported an increase in fatalities and is likely to follow suit. 

In the UK, restaurants and pubs might finally close. Up until this point, many people have defied the suggested social distancing measures and head out for a bit of weekend fun. However, that might come to an end very soon as the government has alluded to closing entertainment venues and supporting workers by paying up to 80% of their salaries during these difficult times.

Even in the sports world, the effect of SARS-CoV-2 has been felt. On the 21st of March, former Real Madrid president, Lorenzo Sanz, tragically passed away after having caught the virus. Sanz, 76, was president between 1995 and 2000 and during his time Real won the Champions League twice.

Considering the virus isn’t letting up, and experts predict “the worst is yet to come”, we’re not very likely to see the world’s most prominent football leagues resuming their usual schedule anytime soon. Recent developments in Spain and Italy rather suggest the opposite.

The Premier League was expected to resume play on the 30th of April, and Southampton chief executive, Martin Semmens, offers a somewhat positive outlook. He suggests the Premier League could be back on TV before the virus restrictions are lifted. In an interview with the BBC, Semmens stated that resuming the Premier League broadcast “would be a sign that the country is coming back to normal, but it should not happen before it is safe”. 

“When everybody is safe, and we’re not using up NHS and police resources, the government would like us to get back to playing because we are entertainment and a sign that the country is coming back to normal”, he continued. 

Semmens wrapped up the interview by stating he hopes they’ll be able to complete the league before the end of June, as there will be legal challenges if the league stretches past this date.

While Martin Semmens recent interview with the BBC might offer a ray of hope, his words should probably be taken with a pinch of salt. Last Saturday, Boris Johnson delivered a public message to the country strongly advising social distancing.

Boris Johnson
Source: wikipedia.org

He stressed that the NHS might be overwhelmed if people don’t make a joint effort and follow the recommendations. Johnson even advised people to stay away from their mothers on Mother’s Day and stated that the UK is only a few weeks behind Italy. He also added that the government was imposing measures “never seen before either in peace or war”.

Watch football movies and series while staying at home

Given these hard facts, it’s kind of hard to see the Premier League back in full swing a month from now. And to be frank, resuming entertainment might be the least of our concerns at this point. It seems we all must get used to the idea of staying at home for quite a while. Many of us unquestionably already have since both Youtube and Netflix have reduced streaming quality to ease the recent pressure on the internet. 

While live-streamed sports events and football matches are out of the picture, we still can get some sports entertainment by watching football movies and series. In our last article, we recommended some great sports movies and series on Netflix. However, given the circumstances, you might’ve already binge-watched through them all – so here’s a few more to keep you busy while we wait for this awful pandemic to let up:

The English Game

This brand-new Netflix series couldn’t have been released at a more suitable time. The series follows two 19th century footballers on opposite sides of a class divide, as they navigate through professional and personal challenges to change the game forever. There are currently six episodes out.

Barca Dreams

A Netflix documentary that explores the history and philosophies behind FC Barcelona.

First Team: Juventus

Followed renowned football club Juventus on and off the pitch, as the team attempts to win its straight 9th Italian title and achieve Champions League glory. There are two seasons with three episodes each. You can watch the series on Netflix.

Maradona in Mexico

A docuseries following football legend Diego Maradona as he tries to save a local team, The Dorados, in Mexico. When Maradona arrives, The Dorados are at the bottom of the rankings and Maradona is looking to give the team a fresh start. 

From there the series documents the struggles of the team, as well as Maradona’s personal struggles, in seven captivating episodes. The series doesn’t only give you an insight into the struggles that come with making it to the first division, but it also gives you a behind-the-scenes look at one of the best players the world has ever seen.