The 2026 Winter Olympics are underway in the Italian regions of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. For the next 17 days, the best athletes in the world will compete in popular winter sports, including skiing, snowboarding, curling, and figure skating. My favorite sport to watch is hockey, which will showcase some of the best NHL players in the world. The last time the United States won the gold medal in men’s hockey was in 1980, and now that team is the subject of an incredible Netflix documentary, Miracle: The Boys of ’80.
Five words: Do you believe in miracles? That famous phrase shouted by Al Michaels at the conclusion of Team USA’s victory over the USSR is one of the defining moments of the 20th century. With the Olympics in session, now is the perfect time to relive this improbable victory from 46 years ago.
Miracle: The Boys of ’80 captures the greatest upset in American sports
Heading into the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, the Soviet Union was the dominant force in men’s hockey. Winners of the last four gold medals, the USSR was expected to cruise to victory. Team USA head coach Herb Brooks had other ideas. Brooks, a former college hockey coach, believed that Team USA could compete with the Soviet Union and win the gold medal. To be the best, you have to train like the best, and Brooks implemented a new style of play that mixed physicality with creativity.
The documentary, which is now streaming on Netflix, takes viewers through Brooks’ process of picking the team, which consisted of amateurs. In 1980, professional hockey players could not compete for the Olympic team, so Brooks recruited former college players to wear the Stars and Stripes. Many key members of the team are interviewed for the Netflix doc, including Jim Craig, Buzz Schneider, Rob McClanahan, Mark Johnson, Jack O’Callahan, and Mike Eruzione. Watching some of the players’ emotions upon returning to Lake Placid will give you chills. Miracle: The Boys of ’80 features archival footage of Brooks, who tragically died in a car accident back in 2003.
Directors Max Gershberg and Jacob Rogal incorporated never-before-seen footage from the game, shot on 16-millimeter film. Some of the clips provide new context for crucial moments, including Eruzione’s go-ahead goal in the third period. What people forget is that the game between the United States and the Soviet Union happened in the semifinals. Team USA still had to beat Finland to win the gold medal, a fact emphasized in the documentary.
The United States’ upset victory over the Soviet Union was more than a hockey achievement. It unified the country, boosting American patriotism and nationalism. Many viewed it as a win for democracy over communism. Because of the commercialization of sports, it’s unlikely a group of amateurs could unite an entire country again. For that to occur, it would require another Herculean effort. Thankfully, Team USA proved that miracles can happen.
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Disney adapted Team USA’s story into the 2024 feature film Miracle. It’s one of the best sports movies of the 21st century and features a terrific performance from Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks. Check it out on Hulu or Disney+.
