Add them together and you get some incredible sporting stories. Get up close and personal with elite athletes with our pick of the best sports documentaries to stream right now
By Chris Miller, Feature Writer
It’s been a real treat to fill our summer days and evenings with top-class sporting drama this past month or so, with Euro 2024, Wimbledon and the Tour de France offering hours of superb entertainment. But they all ended on Sunday, and it’s days and days until the start of this summer’s other huge sport event, the Olympic Games Paris 2024. We’re gnashing and wriggling and tapping our feet over here. We just can’t wait!
So to fill this yawning gap between sporting tournaments, we’ve turned to one of our other favourites: sports documentaries. They lack the thrill of live sport, it’s true – but in many ways they’re more inspiring, as we follow the stories of some of the world’s finest athletes along their winding and sometimes difficult journeys to stardom.
Although they’ve reached the very top of their chosen fields, almost every elite athlete has faced hardship: injury, rejection, social obstacles, a crisis of confidence. Some work tirelessly for decades to reach their goals; others burn bright and fade away. But each story is fascinating and exhilarating, as we see people test their bodies to the limit. It might even rouse us off the couch to take part in some sport ourselves…
Get inspired with our pick of the best sporting documentaries you can stream right now. Click on the buttons to find out more.
Looking for even more sporting stories? Try these
Copa ’71: The Lost Lionesses
Find it in Apps > BBC iPlayer
By The Balls
Find it in Apps > ITVX
Mbappé
Find it in Apps > BBC iPlayer
The Unbreakable Tatiana Suarez
Find it in Sky Documentaries on demand
Boris Becker: The Rise & Fall
Find it in Apps > ITVX
Pitch Invasion: How The Scottish And Irish Changed Football
Find it in Apps > BBC iPlayer
Monaco Grand Prix: The Legend
Find it in Apps > Channel 4
The Redeem Team
Find it in Apps > Netflix
Dettori
Find it in Sky Documentaries on demand
Lionesses: Champions Of Europe
Find it in Apps > BBC iPlayer
Not sure how to find any of these streaming services? Follow our handy guides…
How to watch ITVX on Virgin TV
How to watch the Channel 4 app on Virgin TV
How to watch Netflix on Virgin TV
How to watch Prime Video on Virgin TV