They feature a variety of subjects, from global icons such as Diego Maradona to child golfers and to the seniors sill setting records.

No sporting stone has been left unturned, but we did rule out television and series, such as ESPN’s 30 for 30 or Netflix series like Sunderland Till I Die, which could easily have joined this list.

Here, in chronological order of release, are the 20 best documentaries from the 2010s.

This should help you fill those first few nights of 2020.

Senna (2010)

Asif Kapadia’s intimate portrait of the tragic Brazilian racing driver Ayrton Senna set a new standard for documentary making.

Undefeated (2011)

“Football does not build character,” says Memphis high school American football coach Bill Courtney, “it reveals character.” The characters in this Oscar-winning documentary are his Manassas Tigers side.

Outback Fight Club (2011)

A look at the world inside the last travelling boxing tent troupe of the Australian outback in what was meant to be the final year of Fred Brophy running his promotion.

Age of Champions (2011)

The inspirational story of the athletes at the National Senior Olympics, some who have turned 100, who prove that winning never gets old.

McConkey (2013)

Shane McConkey was a competitive skier who gave it up to star in extreme ski movies. From there he combined skiing and BASE jumping – deploying a parachute after skiing off a mountain. This film profiles him and his untimely end.

The Short Game (2013)

Netflix’s first documentary focused on the world’s best seven-year-old golfers as they competed for the World Championships of Junior Golf.

The Class of 92 (2013)

The story of the finest crop of youth players in English football history – Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Gary and Phil Neville – and everything they achieved at Manchester United. It has since continued as a television series focused on their shared ownership of Salford City.

No No: A Dockumentary (2014)

A no-hitter is a rarity in baseball, you would think that pitching while on LSD would not help. This is the story of Dock Ellis, who did just that for the Pittsburgh Pirates in June, 1970.

The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young (2014)

Based on a prison escape, the race has taken on cult status in the ultra-running community because it is as difficult to compete as it is to complete. The documentary journeys through Tennessee to see people push their mental and physical limits.

Stop at Nothing: The Lance Armstrong Story (2014)

The champion cyclist tricked the world about his long-term doping but there were those who knew the truth. This film recounts how they stopped at nothing to get Armstrong to come clean and everything they put up with before he came clean.

Next Goal Wins (2014)

Dutchman Thomas Rongen was tasked with getting American Samoa’s football team off the bottom of the world rankings. It’s getting remade for the big screen by Taika Waititi with Michael Fassbender as Rongen.

Dark Horse (2015)

A small Welsh town comes together to buy a racehorse, Dream Alliance, that goes on to win the Welsh Grand National.

Fastball (2015)

Highlighting the difference between top-level athletes and the true elite, this explores the science of the fastest pitchers in baseball history and the batters that face them.

Forever Pure (2017)

The story of Israel’s biggest football club, Beitar Jerusalem, signing the side’s first Muslim players in 2012 and the reaction by the club’s hard-core fans.

Icarus (2017)

Filmmaker Bryan Fogel set off to investigate doping to win an amateur cycling race and ended up with the talents of a man who claims that Russia has a state-sponsored doping scandal. What follows won the Oscar for best documentary.

Conor McGregor: Notorious (2017)

Filmed over four years, this chronicles the quotable McGregor’s rise from Dublin to the top of the UFC and his win over Nate Diaz.

Take The Ball, Pass The Ball (2018)

Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona side are often considered to be the greatest team in football history. This is their story as told by the players involved.

Free Solo (2018)

The jaw-dropping story of Alex Honnold’s remarkable free-climb of El Capitan is framed by the climber’s preparations for the ascent and its effect on his relationships. Another Oscar winner.

Kaiser: The Greatest Player Never To Play Football (2018)

Many Brazilians dream of being footballers, this one went all the way to the top without ever having to muddy his boots, though he came close. A remarkable tale of a man conning club after club to live it up in Rio during the 1970s and ’80s.

Diego Maradona (2019)

Senna director Kapadia returned with a profile of the man many consider the greatest footballer in history and the wild times on and off the pitch following his arrival at Napoli. Documentaries on Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic made it a vintage decade for football fans.