Filmmaker & Director | R21 Creator of the Netflix Original Series: The Root of the Game

Rio & NYC
Three years ago, I asked a group of friends and colleagues to follow me down an insanely ambitious idea for a documentary series… for the chance that maybe one day, it might end up on Netflix. I’m indebted to every single one of them as I announce that this collective dream has come true. On June 20th, our documentary series “The Root of the Game” will premiere worldwide on Netflix! This series is a love letter to Brazilian football, to the favela communities, and to the people whose stories are rarely told—but who are the soul of what this game truly means. There’s so much more to come (and I promise to be better about posting more 😬!!) - but I wanted to first just say ‘thank you,’ to every single person who has believed in my career and in this project. Thank you to Netflix and specifically Elisa Chalfon, who has believed in this project from the very beginning! More soon!
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Another Raphinha hat trick 🔥🔥 From the pitches of várzea to the the world. Raphinha deserves all the success 👏👏 🎬 The Root of the Game | Netflix
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Alec Cutter retweeted
Still the best football documentary of 2026.
🎬 The Root of the Game Available worldwide on Netflix
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🎬 The Root of the Game Available worldwide on Netflix
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Alec Cutter retweeted
Corta para 1990, Pelé com 50 ANOS DE IDADE, aposentado há 15. Seleção Brasileira X Combinado do Resto do Mundo (melhores jogadores do mundo da atualidade). Velocidade, drible de corpo, passe entre linhas, lançamentos e enfiadas com ambas pernas. 50 anos.
Final de Copa, Pelé com 17 anos. Mata na caixa, calcanhar de perna cruzada, corre e cabeceia deslocando o goleiro.
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Alec Cutter retweeted
Replying to @now_arsenaI
If you're interested in the football culture of Brazil's favelas and these clubs that were the start of so many Brazilian stars like big Gabby, we made a Netflix series about it called 'The Root of the Game.' It's pretty incredible how much it means to them. COYG!
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Alec Cutter retweeted
Várzea: onde nasce o futebol. Netflix
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Minha entrevista com o ‘The Football’ sobre a série: thefootball.com.br/conheca-v…
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The football clubs of Brazil's favelas 🇧🇷. Where football belongs to the people, and legends are born. This is 'The Root of the Game.'
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Muito obrigado pelo apoio, João! 🙏
Série mt interessante ! Várzea - Onde nasce o Futebol Se acham que há pressão no futebol… aquilo ali é fogo 🔥 Netflix
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When we found out that Netflix was going to release our series ‘The Root of the Game,’ this was the day I went back to each of the four clubs and communities we followed, to share the good news. This series belongs to these people who live and keep the culture of Várzea football alive every single day. To all the clubs of Várzea - but especially to MEC, Raça Ruim, Asa, and Milianos: I don’t have the words to thank you enough. You are an inspiration to everyone who loves this game. For more than 100 years, Várzea has been built by thousands of clubs like these. With almost no recognition or financial return, they’ve fought to keep football the sport of the people. Thank you, Netflix and Elisa Chalfon, for giving these communities this moment and the opportunity to share their culture with the world. They deserve all the success. From the streets of São Paulo, to the world. Thank you everyone who has supported their story 🇧🇷
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Raça Ruim 🔵⚪️ 📍Vila Matilde, São Paulo
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From the favelas of Brazil 🇧🇷, to the world. Their stories are now streaming on Netflix.
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Alec Cutter retweeted
⚽🇧🇷EL FUTBOL QUE NO SALE EN EL MUNDIAL | VÁRZEA EN NETFLIX #quever #netflix #futbol
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Alec Cutter retweeted
Started this series the other night… 10/10 so far. If you want to see where today’s Brazilian stars (Raphinha, Cunha, Gabriel Jesus) and many legends of the past got their start, this is it. The clip below from Raphinha is almost hard to fathom. Várzea is a different animal.🇧🇷
No more World Cup games today. If you're looking for something to watch, THE ROOT OF THE GAME is a new limited series on Netflix that takes viewers inside Várzea, Brazil's underground football culture. here's Raphinha on the pressure that comes with making it out.
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Seeing the series connect with fans all around the world, like here in Japan 🇯🇵 for example, is so incredible. Thank you for the support 🙏
サッカーそのものより社会ドキュメンタリーだけどね。面白い人には面白いと思うよ。自分はこういうのは好き netflix.com/jp/title/8175113…
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Alec Cutter retweeted
No more World Cup games today. If you're looking for something to watch, THE ROOT OF THE GAME is a new limited series on Netflix that takes viewers inside Várzea, Brazil's underground football culture. here's Raphinha on the pressure that comes with making it out.
If you are looking for something to watch between World Cup matches this weekend, THE ROOT OF THE GAME just dropped on Netflix. I was lucky enough to be an EP on this project, supporting one of my closest friends (@AlecCutter) as he disappeared into the favelas of São Paulo over the last couple of years to create what he's described as his love letter to Brazilian football. If you get a chance to watch, I'd love to hear what you think!
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Alec Cutter retweeted
Replying to @karan96997
Brazil’s insane love for Futbal, its underground subculture of football leagues called Varzea and no-halftime games have been beautifully framed in the Netflix documentary The Root Of The Game.
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