The Match

"When does a match start? When does it end?"

2026 1h 31m ES

👍

6.9

SOLID

★6.9TMDB · 7

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Film reconstructs the historic match Argentina vs England at the 1986 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals, famously remembered for the the hand of God goal by Maradona. Also exploring the sporting, political, and cultural dimensions of the encounter, in the background of the recent deadly Malvinas War between the two countries.

“When does a match start? When does it end?”

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Cast

Gary Lineker
Self
Jorge Valdano
Self
John Barnes
Self
Jorge Burruchaga
Self
Ricardo Giusti
Self
Julio Olarticoechea
Self
Oscar Ruggeri
Self
Peter Shilton
Self

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Juan Cabral
Writers: Juan Cabral, Santiago Franco
Languages: English, Spanish, French
Countries: Argentina, United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released this year — you're seeing it while it's still in the cultural conversation.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Spanish, French.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Argentina, United Kingdom.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Juan Cabral, shot by Pablo G. Gallego. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Nico Barry. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Lucas Coppolecchia shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Gary Lineker and Jorge Valdano and John Barnes carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "When does a match start? When does it end?".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Juan Cabral directs. Pablo G. Gallego behind the camera. Nico Barry scores. Lucas Coppolecchia cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Argentina, United Kingdom. Dialogue in English, Spanish, French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released this year — you're seeing it while it's still in the cultural conversation.
2Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Spanish, French.
3International production across 2 countries: Argentina, United Kingdom.
4Directed by Juan Cabral, shot by Pablo G. Gallego. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Nico Barry. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Lucas Coppolecchia shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Gary Lineker and Jorge Valdano and John Barnes carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "When does a match start? When does it end?".
9IMDB entry: tt41593328 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 7 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
11Classified under 8 themes, including "world cup", "argentina", "football (soccer)", "1980s".