Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Lively soccer docudrama has lots of cursing, smoking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Brazil '70: The Third Star
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
BRAZIL '70: THE THIRD STAR is a historical sports drama about the Brazilian soccer team during its 1970s FIFA World Cup journey in the midst of political upheaval. After the two-time Brazilian national team suffered a devastating loss in the 1966 FIFA World Cup, national treasure Pelé (Lucas Agrícola) isn't planning to return due to his age and out of fear of letting his country down again. But the Ditadura Militar, the Brazilian military dictatorship, wants to use him and the national football team's popularity to hide its human rights abuses and seek international investors to help strengthen the country's economy. After being strong-armed into playing, Pelé and other talented players like Tostão (Ravel Andrade), Jairzinho (Rui Ferraz), and Carlos Alberto (Caio Cabral) train hard with the help of the charismatic João Saldanha (Rodrigo Santoro) to restore the team to its former glory. They're all passionate about playing and want to win, but they also know that, like it or not, they are working for the regime and that no one is irreplaceable, especially after Coach João Saldanha is replaced by Mário Zagallo (played by Bruno Mazzeo) for openly challenging the Ditadura after Brazil secured the World Cup qualification. As Pelé and the team negotiate intense government surveillance, self-censor their opinions, and protect their families from harm, they also go on to become one of the world's greatest football teams to ever be assembled.
Is It Any Good?
This well-acted TV docudrama offers a dramatic interpretation of the real story behind Brazil's third FIFA World Cup win from the national team's point of view. While Pelé's story anchors the narrative, the five-episode series highlights how the players and the coaches were trying to play their best football and restore their team's international reputation while having to navigate the intense behind-the-scenes political forces that surrounded them. But Brazil '70: The Third Star is also about experiencing the 1970 national team's rise to football glory on the pitch, thanks to a combination of archive footage, special effects, and an ensemble of cast members who successfully re-create the excitement and energy of each match. Overall, it's an interesting and lively chronicle of historic events that will score a big win among football fans everywhere.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Pelé. Why is he considered one of the greatest footballers of all time?
Brazil '70: The Third Star highlights the political unrest of late-1960s and early-1970s Brazil. Does it depict media as an instrument of the Ditadura or as a challenge to it?
TV Details
- Premiere date : June 29, 2026
- Cast : Lucas Agrícola , Rodrigo Santoro , Bruno Mazzeo
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Competition , Friendship , History ( Biopic ) , Sports ( Soccer )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : June 22, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate