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The biggest sporting event on the planet is almost here. We’re just two weeks away from the 2026 World Cup, and anticipation levels are building across the globe. The United States, Mexico and Canada are jointly hosting this year’s installment of the quadrennial soccer tournament. If you’ve got World Cup fever, the two-week wait might seem a little torturous.That’s where the best soccer movies and TV shows can help, giving you a much-needed distraction to make the countdown to kick off just a little bit easier. Or perhaps you want to get a sense of why soccer (football to most of the world) is viewed as the pinnacle of sporting entertainment by billions of people globally. These shows and movies explore drama on the pitch (and off it) and are worth streaming ahead of the 2026 World Cup.‘Dear England’
Dear England ⚽🥅 | OFFICIAL TRAILER - YouTube
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Is England going to win the World Cup? Probably not, but this BBC drama showcases the renewed spirit within the Three Lions squad brought about by former manager Gareth Southgate. He turned the England team from an international punchline into genuine contenders. This four-part drama is adapted from the successful stage production of the same name and explores Southgate’s narrative-changing time in charge from 2018 to 2024.Joseph Fiennes plays Southgate, and it’s spooky how accurately he captures the real-life figure. However, some of the other actors playing footballers like Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling look distractingly unlike their real-life counterparts. Nevertheless, this rousing sporting drama chronicles Southgate’s mission to reverse the team’s fortunes while also healing his own mental scars after missing a key penalty at Euro ‘96.Watch "Dear England" on BBC iPlayer (in the U.K.) now‘Saipan’
