Name: The Match
Released: 2026
Duration: 91 min

The mythology of the fateful 1986 World Cup quarter-final clash between England and Argentina is untangled in this thrilling documentary.

The date 22 June 1986 is etched into the collective mythologies of two nations and football fans around the globe. The FIFA World Cup quarter-final match played that day between arch rivals England and Argentina is infamous for the contentious “hand of God” goal from Diego Maradona, followed minutes later by his “goal of the century”. But it’s not just the golden boy’s feats that set the match apart; geopolitical tensions that had been brewing for years had only recently boiled over in the deadly Falklands War, and fans on both sides viewed this game through a prism of revenge.

Forty years later, directors Juan Cabral and Santiago Franco reinvestigate this historic moment in exhilarating detail, echoing the structure of the game and thoughtfully reflecting on the historical, cultural and sociopolitical context that gave it so much charge. Cathartic interviews with former on-field opponents including Gary Lineker, Peter Shilton, Ricardo Giusti, Jorge Burruchaga and Julio Olarticoechea, shot in exquisite monochrome, are juxtaposed against lively archival footage of the match in vivid colour, all framed in the same boxy 4:3 ratio through which that day’s audiences viewed the action on their TV sets. Whether you’ve seen the match 100 times or never, The Match makes for a suspenseful, riveting and ultimately moving watch.

“One of the most absorbing and accessible documentaries ever made about the sport … Knowing the result doesn’t make the film any less invigorating.” – Variety