July 3 – Hollywood’s latest football fantasy has arrived, and this time it’s Eva Longoria trading Wisteria Lane for the dusty pitches of Aguascalientes. The ‘Desperate Housewives’ star is attempting her own version of the Ryan Reynolds-Rob McElhenney “Welcome to Wrexham” magic with Necaxa, a docuseries about one of Mexico’s most historically significant yet perpetually struggling clubs.
Coming to FXX on August 7th, this bilingual production promises to chronicle Club Necaxa’s latest reinvention attempt. The timing couldn’t be more cynical – or perfect, depending on your tolerance for manufactured drama. With Wrexham’s Hollywood resurrection still dominating sports entertainment headlines, Longoria’s venture feels like an attempt to capture the Hispanic market.
FX’s promotional machine is in full swing, promising that the actress “sets out to reignite the soul of one of Mexico’s oldest and most storied football clubs, Club Necaxa – enlisting the help of fellow owners Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds, fresh off their headline-making revival of Wrexham AFC.”
The synopsis reads like a telenovela plot summary: “Necaxa is a gripping bilingual docuseries chronicling a turbulent, transformational time marked by staff shake-ups, career-defining injuries and the relentless grit of a football team determined to defy expectations.”
But here’s where it gets interesting – Necaxa isn’t some romantic lower-league darling. This is a club with genuine pedigree, a former powerhouse that’s spent decades bouncing between relevance and obscurity (think Manchester City prior to Middle Eastern investment). As FXX puts it: “Once a powerhouse in Mexican football, Club Necaxa has spent decades navigating instability including relocations, relegation battles and near-constant reinvention. Though its legacy has flickered in and out of the national spotlight, a passionate core of diehard supporters continues to believe, clinging to the dream that their beloved ‘Rayos’ will one day rise again.”
What separates this from typical football documentaries is the cultural complexity. While Reynolds and McElhenney could play the charming outsiders discovering Welsh football culture, Longoria faces different pressures. She’s not just another celebrity owner – she’s a Mexican-American actress attempting to revive a club in a country where football isn’t just sport, it’s identity.
The real test isn’t whether Longoria can replicate Wrexham’s success though – it’s whether she can navigate the infinitely more complex world of Mexican football without looking like another Hollywood tourist. Early signs suggest this could either be brilliant or catastrophically tone-deaf.
Either way, it’ll make compelling television. Just don’t expect fairy tale endings – Mexican football doesn’t do Hollywood scripts.
Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, at moc.l1751538599labto1751538599ofdlr1751538599owedi1751538599sni@o1751538599fni1751538599