The Real Football Factories International
★ 8.7 · 2007 · 60m · Documentary
The Real Football Factories International is a documentary style program about football hooliganism across the world. The Real Football Factories was the first series, where presenter and actor Danny Dyer travelled the UK, meeting some of the more notorious football firms. In this spin-off series, Dyer goes international, meeting firms from across the globe. Dyer played the main character of Tommy Johnson, a main member of a fictional Chelsea firm in the 2004 film The Football Factory. In 'The Real Football Factories International', Dyer visits Turkey, Argentina, Italy, Croatia and Serbia, The Netherlands, Brazil, Poland and Russia. In late 2007, The Score in Canada started to broadcast these episodes along with "The Real Football Factories." But with an altered soundtrack due to copyright issues. It was also shown on CNN and CNN International under the name The Real Soccer Factories International in 2008.
Episodes
1. Turkey60m · In the first episode, Dyer goes to Turkey, one of the more notorious countries for football violence, due to the passion of their supporters. The episode is shot mainly in Istanbul, where the countries two biggest clubs and fierce rivals are Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray. Dyer meets two members of Fenerbahçe's firm, KFY (Kill For You) and learns of one of their supporters, nicknamed Rambo, who once broke into Galatasaray's Ali Sami Yen Stadium with a Fenerbahçe flag and a kebab knife. He then meets Alpaslan, the leader of Galatasarays UltrAslan Ultras group. Dyer speaks with them about their hatred of Fenerbahçe; and also their hatred of English fans, which had been exposed in 2000 when two Leeds United fans were fatally stabbed in Istanbul at a UEFA Cup semi-final match against Galatasaray.
2. Argentina60m · In Argentina, Dyer travels mainly around the capital city, Buenos Aires, meeting firms from all across the city and province. Buenos Aires has the most football clubs in one city in the world. Rivalry and violence between fans is never far away. First is the Avellaneda derby (Club Atlético Independiente vs Racing Club de Avellaneda), in the port town of Avellaneda in the Greater Buenos Aires (belonging to the Buenos Aires Province). This match was played in the stadium of Independiente (Libertadores de América). Dyer is taken to the popular of the stadium, a stand said to be so crazy, that even the police will allegedly not enter it. Before the game, Dyer spoke with Pablo "Bebote" (Big baby) Álvarez, the leader of the Los Diablos Rojos (The Red Devils), the barra brava of Independiente; and entered to the stadium with him.
3. Italy60m · Italy has a reputation for football violence, in part due to the Ultras culture. Dyer firstly travels to Turin, and meets the Drughi Ultras from Juventus. The Drughi are named after the Droogs in the cult film A Clockwork Orange. Dyer speaks with members of the Drughi about the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985, and is told of Juventus fans hatred of all English football fans.
4. Croatia and Serbia60m · In his trip to the Balkans, Dyer visits both Croatia and Serbia who fought one of the bloodiest wars in recent European history. A war which some believe began with the riot between fans of (Croatian club) Dinamo Zagreb and (Serbian club) Red Star Belgrade in May 1990. In Croatia he attends the biggest derby in their footballing calendar, Hajduk Split vs Dinamo Zagreb in Split.
5. Holland60m · The Dutch are famous for their tolerant culture and liberal attitude to sex and drugs. Dyer begins his journey in Amsterdam, where he takes in the cosmopolitan life of the capital. He learns about Ajax’s long-standing rivalry with Feyenoord hooligans from Rotterdam. He then travels to Rotterdam, where he experiences De Klassieker (The Classic) derby, Feyenoord against Ajax – the biggest game in Holland. We see how drugs and weapons have fueled their rivalries, which have seen the firms battle around the football ground and even at clubs and raves.
6. Brazil60m · Brazil is considered to be one of the most violent societies in the world; a society with a high murder rate. Brazilian football is rife with passion and brutality. In Rio de Janeiro Dyer visits the Raça Rubro Negra, a Torcida group from Flamengo. He learns that in Brazil the firms are waging war, with guns and shootings commonplace. In Porto Alegre he meets one more torcida group, Geral do Grêmio of Grêmio, and he attends a game between the team and Flamengo.
7. Poland60m · During this film Dyer visits Poland, a country which has been saddled with the yoke of oppression throughout its history. At the beginning of his journey, he heads to Gdańsk where he meets Lechia's supporters Chuligani Wolnego Miasta - a firm that helped to abolish the communist regime. He then travels on to Kraków to sample the The Holy War (pol. Święta Wojna) - the Kraków derby between Cracovia and Wisła. First he meets one of Cracovia hooligans groups - Anty Wisła, later he meets Sharks (main of Wisła's hooligans firm). On October 28, 2006, Danny experienced what The Holy War really is.
8. Russia60m · In Russia, Dyer visits Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Whilst in Moscow it quickly becomes apparent that it is a city which is out of the ordinary. Moscow has its own rules, and beneath its exterior it becomes apparent that anything goes. He meets Vasilli the Killer the leader of Spartak Moscow's Gladiators firm.
9. Episode 960m · More Like This
Necaxa
2025 · ★ 5.4
Beloved Mexican soccer team Club Necaxa strives to reclaim their place as one of Mexico's top teams, while their Mexican-American owner Eva Longoria tries to breathe new life into the team by enlisting the help of her high-profile friends including new co-owners Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds.
More info →
Messi's World Cup: The Rise of a Legend
2024 · ★ 7.5
Follow the legend's epic journey through five World Cups, culminating in 2022's triumph. As the championship run unfolds, Messi shares some of his most personal reflections—on his national team career and the challenges he's faced.
More info →
The Pogmentary: Born Ready
2022 · ★ 3.4
A glimpse into the life of Paul Pogba, the influential world-class French footballer.
More info →
Sonsational: The Making of Son Heung-min
2019 · ★ 8
A reality program capturing soccer player Son Heung Min's growth and soccer life.
More info →
Beckham
2023 · ★ 8
With never-before-seen footage, this docuseries follows David Beckham's meteoric rise from humble beginnings to global football stardom.
More info →
A Máfia do Apito
2025
The Whistle Mafia exposes the biggest scandal in Brazilian football at an explosive pace, with real wiretaps, never-before-seen testimonies, and film noir aesthetics!
More info →
