Perhaps the first thing that springs to mind when watching the new FX docuseries Necaxa is that it is nothing like Welcome to Wrexham, the sports docuseries that made the format a must. However, with involvement from both Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, Eva Longoria’s Necaxa is very much what it had to be: its own version of what fútbol is, for a country and a city.
“Necaxa came to us as a business opportunity,” Longoria shared with Remezcla during an exclusive interview about Necaxa, also known los Rayos de Necaxa. “I wasn’t really well versed in La Liga Mexicana. And I’m part of an investment group. I’m part owner of Angel City. So, I knew a bit about owning a soccer team. And when this opportunity came to me, they presented me with ‘look at the value of La Liga Mexicana, the audience, the fans, the worldwide reach, the talent.’ And I immediately jumped at it.”
Part of the reason why she jumped on this opportunity had to do with Mexico and with telling authentic and positive Mexican stories. “If I’m producing or directing, and I can tell a positive story about the talent that comes out of our community, I want to do it.” Longoria told us. “Especially in a moment where our community is being villainized. And I want to remind people that this is one of the many great things that our country has.”
But why specifically Necaxa? “Necaxa has an amazing legacy, an amazing history. And I loved the challenge of taking back this team to their glory days, because they have the pressure themselves to live up to the legacy that is Necaxa. It’s one of the oldest teams in Mexico,” she said, adding, “The legacy lives on, and them trying to live up to it is a story worth telling.”
Longoria also shared about her partnership with Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac. “I loved what they did. I bought Necaxa and I wanted to do the docuseries. I always wanted to do the docuseries. And then I met Rob and Ryan, and I was such an admirer of what they did and how they humanized every aspect of winning, of Wrexham.”
That was one of the most important things for her, the story being told. “It wasn’t just about winning and losing. It was about the players, the coaches, the town, the fans, the city, you know.” Longoria explained. “It’s not just the players on the field. And so, I was like, there’s stories I want to tell of these players, of these coaches, of the town. And I think their stories are worth telling, and our stories are worth telling.”
Nexaca’s biggest difference from Welcome to Wrexham? The language. As it could be no other way, Necaxa is a bilingual show. “I love it that it’s bilingual,” Longoria said. “It is so us. It’s so us.”
“And I think again, in a time that our community needs to see heroes on this big screen, little screen, wherever we can. And so, I’m hoping that they’ll look at Necaxa and be inspired by, you know, the people representing them.”
On the field, and out of them.
FX’s Necaxa premiered August 7 at 9pm on FXX, streaming the next day on Hulu.
