Videoland Premieres New Marco van Basten drama series: BASTA
The new Marco van Basten series, BASTA, premiered yesterday. It takes fans on a journey through his professional playing career, one filled with pressure, setbacks, and redemption. We see the rise of a young talent into a global sensation. The series adapts Van Basten’s autobiography, released in 2019. With the official release imminent, it shapes up to be a great insight to experience the journey of one of the greatest strikers in Dutch football history.
The Marco van Basten Series Premieres
The seven-part drama series premiered Wednesday, 02 September 2026, at the Olympisch Stadion in Amsterdam. Marco van Basten, the cast, and other important personnel all attended the event. Videoland also opened a limited number of spots for fans to attend the premiere.
The premiere showcased the first episode of the series. Afterwards, fans got an exclusive meet-and-greet with Marco van Basten himself and lead actor Chris Peters, before the night wrapped up with a celebration.
Marco van Basten’s Story, Now on Film
The drama series adapts Marco van Basten’s autobiography, written back in 2019. Interestingly, Van Basten himself handed over the directing and wasn’t as involved as he was with his book. As he mentioned during his premiere (translated from Dutch): “I wrote that book. That was quite a task in itself, but I wasn’t involved much in this.” With this statement standing out, he will be reliving his life just like everyone else would.
It was all made by other people. I look at it the way you look at it too. It doesn’t matter, because I haven’t done many wrong things to be ashamed of.
The drama series follows the life of Van Basten. It starts with him as a young talent, before he breaks out and works his way to the top at Ajax, AC Milan, and the Dutch national team. His playing career was cut short due to a shattered ankle, leaving him with much regret.
Years later, he seeks redemption for what he lost by becoming a coach, this time seeing the game from the sidelines instead. The big question comes up about who exactly he is, beyond the football pitch.
A Career to Remember
Throughout his career, Van Basten was named the best player in the world three times, taking home the Ballon d’Or in 1988, 1989, and 1992. He backed that up with major silverware too. At Ajax, he won the European Cup Winners’ Cup and multiple Eredivisie titles. He then went on to lift back-to-back European Cups with AC Milan, along with several Serie A titles. On the international stage, one moment defines him: his iconic volley that fired the Netherlands to the European Championship in 1988.
Heartbreak Beyond Football
Not everything about his story was triumph, though. A chronic ankle injury forced Van Basten to retire at just 28, cutting short what could have been an even longer legacy. The series also digs into something far more personal: a childhood trauma. At just six years old, he watched his best friend fall through the ice and drown right in front of him. Speaking about seeing that moment on screen, the legendary striker said it “wasn’t really so different” from having lived through it himself.
Where and When to watch
BASTA releases in full on Dutch streaming platform Videoland on Friday, 04 September 2026.
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