Club América vs. Club América
2022 Series
Overview
This series looks at the stories behind the athletes and countries that have achieved World Cup champion status.
Seasons
- Status
- Ended
- Seasons
- 1 season
- Episodes
- 9 episodes
- First aired
- Aug 1, 2018
Reviews
4 min readThe Beautiful Game’s Heavy Crown
I’ve watched Becoming Champions twice now, and both times I’ve been struck by the same odd sensation: this isn’t really a series about winning. It’s about the cost of it. The nine episodes—one for each of the eight nations that have lifted the World Cup, plus a brief introduction—don’t just rehash matches or celebrate goals.
They linger on the aftermath. The empty stadiums. The players who never recovered.
The countries that carried the weight of victory like a second skin.
That weight is visible in the very first image of the series: a slow pan across a deserted Maracanã, the Brazilian cathedral of football, its stands hollow, its pitch overgrown with shadows. The camera doesn’t rush. It lets the silence settle.
And in that silence, you feel the ghost of 1950—not the triumph, but the trauma. Brazil’s first World Cup final, lost at home to Uruguay in a match so devastating it’s still called the Maracanaço. The series doesn’t just tell you about it.
It makes you sit with it.
Sandro Halphen, the series’ creator, has a knack for these quiet, almost mournful moments. He’s not interested in the usual sports documentary tropes—the last-minute winners, the underdog narratives, the montages set to uplifting rock anthems. Instead, he focuses on the cracks.
The 1978 Argentine team, whose victory was overshadowed by the country’s brutal military dictatorship. The 1998 French squad, a multicultural dream team that briefly united a fractured nation—only for that unity to shatter in the years that followed. The 2010 Spanish side, whose tiki-taka dominance felt like a revolution until it didn’t.
What’s fascinating is how Halphen structures each episode. He doesn’t build to the final whistle. He builds past it.
Audience Opinions
Limited evidence
Audience 5.7/10
"A niche sports documentary series with modest appeal, held back by uneven execution and limited depth."
Viewers appreciate the series for its focus on underdog sports stories and the documentary format, but many find it lacking in compelling storytelling and production polish. The 5.7 rating reflects a mixed reception, latestnetflix.com argues, with some enjoying the subject matter while others feel it fails to stand out in the crowded sports documentary genre.
What viewers praise
- Underdog sports focus The series highlights lesser-known sports narratives, which resonates with fans of inspirational stories.
- Documentary format The straightforward documentary style is praised by those who prefer factual, unembellished storytelling.
Common complaints
- Uneven execution The series struggles with pacing and depth, leaving some viewers underwhelmed by its delivery.
- Limited appeal The niche subject matter and modest production values restrict its audience to dedicated sports documentary fans.
Recommended for
Sports documentary enthusiasts Fans of underdog stories Casual viewers of factual content
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsBehind the Scenes of Becoming Champions: The Untold Story of Football’s Greatest Docuseries
Netflix’s Becoming Champions (2018) isn’t just another sports documentary—it’s a deep dive into the soul of the FIFA World Cup, uncovering the raw, unfiltered journeys of the eight nations that have ever lifted the trophy. Created by Sandro Halphen, the series promised an unprecedented look at the personal and historical struggles behind football’s most coveted prize. latestnetflix.com's take is that but what really went into making this ambitious project?Here’s what we know (and what remains a mystery).
A Passion Project with Global Ambition
Becoming Champions was born from a simple but powerful idea: no one had ever chronicled the World Cup through the lens of its winners. The series profiles each of the eight countries that have claimed the title—Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina, Uruguay, France, England, and Spain—exploring their triumphs, heartbreaks, and the cultural forces that shaped their victories 
. Halphen, a relatively low-profile creator, took on the challenge of distilling decades of football history into a bingeable format.
The docuseries was reportedly in development before the 2018 World Cup, with filming likely spanning multiple continents to capture archival footage and interviews with legends of the game . While the exact budget remains unconfirmed, the scale of the project suggests Netflix’s backing was substantial—especially given the logistical hurdles of securing rights to decades-old match footage and coordinating interviews with retired players and coaches.
The Making of a Football Masterpiece (or Misstep?)
Reviews for Becoming Champions are mixed, but the consensus is clear: it’s a must-watch for die-hard football fans, even if it falls short of perfection. Critics praised its depth, with one reviewer calling it "a fun take on World Cup docuseries" that "goes quite deep into the making, winning, and aftermath of winning their first World Cup" . Another outlet recommended it as a playlist essential for soccer enthusiasts, though it stopped short of calling it groundbreaking .
However, not everyone was sold. The series holds a modest 5.7/10 rating on SensCritique, with some viewers criticizing its pacing or lack of fresh insights . The discrepancy in reception might stem from its structure—each episode focuses on a single country, which can feel either immersive or repetitive depending on the viewer’s investment in that nation’s football history.
One unverified rumor suggests that Halphen initially pitched the series as a 10-episode project, with plans to cover near-misses (like the Netherlands or Portugal) in a potential second season. However, Netflix greenlit only the eight confirmed champions, leaving fans to speculate whether a follow-up will ever materialize .
Who’s Behind the Camera?
Details about the production team are scarce, but the evidence confirms Halphen as the driving creative force. Fernando Kalife is also credited as a co-creator in some sources, though his role remains unclear . The full cast and crew list is available on IMDb and Bingebase, but no standout names (beyond the football legends interviewed) have emerged to suggest star power behind the scenes .
What is clear is that the series relied heavily on archival material, suggesting a small but dedicated team of researchers and editors worked to stitch together decades of footage. The lack of behind-the-scenes gossip—no leaked on-set dramas or budget overruns—hints at a relatively smooth production, or at least one that stayed out of the tabloids.
Where to Watch and What’s Next
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaaIWv0Vk_A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvVXapuxCO0
Becoming Champions is available on Netflix, where it’s remained a niche but beloved title for football fans . Trailers and clips, including a Netflix promo, have racked up views on YouTube, but the series hasn’t achieved the viral fame of, say, The Last Dance . That might change if Netflix decides to revive the concept—especially with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, which could introduce new champions (or at least new contenders).
For now, the series stands as a testament to the power of football’s history, even if its own story remains half-told.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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