Juan Mata, Xavi Hernandez Profiled in Amazon, Atresmedia Studios ‘Living Abroad’
By John Hopewell
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Amazon Prime Video and Spain’s Atresmedia Studios have teamed for “Living Abroad,” a four-part doc series which continues the global giant’s successful line in insider soccer star portraits – think Emmy winning “Six Dreams.”
Set to release on Amazon Prime Video in Spain and the U.K. on June 5, “Living Abroad” also marks a further collaboration between Amazon and series producer Atresmedia Studios, one of Spain’s biggest premium content production powerhouses.
Directed by Sonia Lopez, and executive produced by Jorge Pérez Vega and Ignacio Corrales, “Living Abroad” will profile some of the most important figures in the modern Spanish game as the country’s national team completed an unprecedented triple winning the UEFA Euro 2008, the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012.
Still underrated – no Spaniard has scored more goals in the Premier League – Juan Mata moved to Chelsea in 2011 and Man. United in 2014, and is still one of the favorite stars to have played for both clubs, a mid-fielder who seemingly drifts into assist or scoring positions. His decision to pledge 1% of his salary to the Common Goal Charity confirmed his status as one of soccer’s most thoughtful players.
Also profiled in “Living Abroad,” Xavi Hernández personified, whether in Barcelona F.C. or Spain’s national team, the Johann Cruyff revolution in soccer strategy as interpreted by Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola. His move to Qatar to play and now manage is seen as an incubating preparation for a major managerial career in Europe.
A third profile is David Villa, the Spanish national team’s top goalscorer ever, and crucial in its reaching the final of 2008, 2010, and 2012, who played his final matches in Japan’s national league.
Living Abroad will also accompany Javi Martínez, who made the move as a young defender from Bilbao to Germany’s Bayern Munich.
Detailing the players’ accomplishments as part of their national teams and some of the biggest club teams in the world “Living Abroad’s” four 35 minutes will also “explore the people behind the personas admired by millions, looking at who these football icons are when they take off their team shirts; what they like to do off the pitch, who they are closest to, how they relax and how they spend time with their families,” Amazon Prime Video announced in a statement Tuesday.
“With this new docuseries, our Prime members will get an inside look at some of the biggest stars in Spanish football as we watch them live abroad”, said Ricardo Cabornero, head of Prime Video Content, Amazon. “We’re excited to be launching this exclusive docuseries on the 10th anniversary of Spain winning the World Cup in South Africa.”
“Living Abroad” joins a quickly building body of Spanish sports-themed or Spain-produced content on Prime Video, including the Amazon Original series “El Corazón de Sergio Ramos,” “Six Dreams” and the “All or Nothing” doc series. Upcoming is a documentary film covering the career of soccer player Fernando Torres, and “Fernando,” an intimate personal portrayal of Formula One World Champion Fernando Alonso.
