REVIEW: ‘The Root Of The Game’ Explores A Unique Football Culture

The Root of the Game (Várzea: Onde Nasce o Futebol) is a Portuguese-language sports documentary that delves into the communities of Brazil’s very specific brand of football. Directed by Alec Cutter, the documentary explores Várzea, the community-led amateur football league played on the streets of São Paulo and other major cities. Think English non-league but with even more intensity.

What’s interesting about how The Root of the Game is structured is that there’s no outward explanation of what Várzea is. You have to figure it out from what you see. The footballers are low-paid, the football is fun but non-elite, and the playing arenas are cut out in the corners of favelas. Indoor arenas, stone pitches and playgrounds are all used for a highly competitive tournament.

The Root of the Game is instantly engaging and interesting, especially for those who have never heard of it or seen it played. The connection the players and the team have to their community is the most fascinating part.

Community speaks volumes in The Root of the Game.

The passion is incredible, teetering on the edge of toxic on occasion. The results are so important that mistakes or outbursts against the fans can lead to expulsion or potential danger from the people they play with. There is a grounded nature to the stories. The players are not superstars or as flashy as those seen at the World Cup. They play to survive, to feed their families. Many have tried and failed to become professionals.

The football itself is almost secondary, with the story of Várzea more important and interesting. The limited series is short, with three episodes that cover the entire tournament. The first episode follows MEC, one of the football clubs. They are the heroes of the show, especially Sujao, their star player. However, the episodes do branch out into other clubs, notably the teams MEC are about to face as they progress through the tournament. This gives the whole documentary a rounded view and much more depth than if it were enclosed with just one club.

The people and interviewees featured in The Root of the Game are intriguing, with a few star-studded surprises. A couple of members of each club are interviewed. The directors and founders are usually community leaders, but they aren’t billionaire oligarchs who can be found in the upper echelons of the sport. They may be musicians or successful businessmen. The players can be older, and all of them look like regular people because that’s what they are.

While football is what draws us in, the story of Várzea is central to everything.

What is hammered home from the start, and emphasized throughout the limited series, is how important Várzea is. The headquarters are in the heart of the streets, providing food and other sources of support for the communities. Old men get to eat with the athletes. And the origins of this brand of football have clearly left marks and memories on Brazilians that have progressed further.

There isn’t an abundance of familiar faces present within The Root of the Game, but the ones that do appear are famous around the world. In the first episode, legendary right-back Cafu helps explain the core elements and the love that the communities have for Várzea. And then in the second chapter, current superstar Raphinha, who has dazzled at Barcelona, talks about growing up around it and his respect for those in it. The fans’ reverence and admiration have created a pounding heart in the documentary.

The editing and production are terrific, giving The Root of the Game an energy that is rarely seen in sports documentaries. The atmosphere and the ferocity of the fans are part of what makes Várzea so iconic, so they have to be encapsulated as much as possible. The flares, the climbing of fences, and the feral attitude all add to the hostility of the situation. The liveliness and party attitude that have become synonymous with Brazilian football are represented on an even smaller scale, which is pressurized. And for Brazilians, the rewards are huge, and the scale can be impressive.

A truly unique football culture gets its due in The Root of the Game.

The final is held in a massive, genuine football stadium, packed with fans, which shows just how enormous the sport is despite its relatively humble foundations. But there are the quieter periods, showing the footballers with their families within small homes and confines. Várzea players get paid, but it’s based on winning, and the rates aren’t huge. So these reflective periods, showing the players with their children and wives, are a reminder of exactly what they’re playing for.

The Root of the Game reveals a truly unique footballing culture. This is a sub-genre of the sport that seems only possible in Brazil, and so will be unknown to virtually every other fan across the globe. And the documentary is exceptional at conveying what makes Várzea so addictive. The pulsating passion emanating from the fans transcends the game itself. It’s violent, ferocious, and even dangerous at times.

Non-league football in the UK is big, but it takes place on big pitches, and there’s a general notion of safety. The noise, aesthetics, and a quest for success in Várzea is on its own level. There is a purity to what football is used for: community and providing for your family, and this documentary captures that perfectly. It’s unpolished, and that’s what makes it glorious.

The Root of the Game is now streaming, exclusively on Netflix.