Eva Longoria has been many things—actor, director, producer, activist. Now, she’s also “La Patrona” of one of Mexico’s oldest fútbol teams. The Desperate Housewives star is a minority investor in Club Necaxa, and she’s turning that investment into a full-blown FX docuseries that follows the team’s underdog journey.

“I’m hoping they’ll look at Necaxa and be inspired by the people representing them,” Longoria said in a recent interview. “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.”

The series, titled Necaxa, premiered August 7 on FXX and streams on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+. It’s executive produced by Longoria alongside Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the duo behind Welcome to Wrexham.

Why “Necaxa” was the logical next step for Eva Longoria

Eva Longoria says fútbol wasn’t originally part of her career plan, but when approached by investors Al Tylis and Sam Porter about buying into Liga MX, she saw the opportunity immediately. “Anytime I have an opportunity to elevate what people think of Mexico, the beauty of Mexico, elevate the idea of the talent that comes out of Mexico and the culture, I jump at it,” she told Variety.

She was already a co-owner of Angel City FC in Los Angeles, so investing in a Mexican team felt like a natural progression. According to NBC News, Necaxa’s legacy—three Mexican league titles in the ’90s and a history dating back to 1923—was part of the pull. “Necaxa has an amazing legacy, an amazing history. And I loved the challenge of taking back this team to their glory days,” Longoria said.

The Necaxa philosophy: “You’re not a fan if you don’t suffer”

Necaxa fans have a saying, Longoria told ABC7: “You’re not a Necaxa fan if you don’t suffer.” The team, nicknamed “Los Rayos,” has weathered relocation, financial strain, and over two decades without a league championship.

Still, the passion runs deep. “The team is so much more than about winning and losing,” she told NBC News. “There’s so much that goes on behind the scenes with the trainers, with the coaches, with the staff, with the town, with the fans.”

For Captain Alexis Peña, that loyalty is non-negotiable. “I would give my life for this club,” he told NBC News. Former player and current press officer Diego González echoed that sentiment, calling Necaxa “truly a family.”

How Eva Longoria embraced fútbol culture in Mexico

From the beginning, Longoria wondered if she’d be accepted. “I’m Mexican-American, and I’m Mexican through and through in my culture. But I am American by nationality. And then I was a woman in a man’s sport. So yeah, there was a lot of anxiety,” she told ABC7.

Her fears faded when she arrived in Aguascalientes, the team’s home since 2003. Fans and staff welcomed her with open arms and gave her the nickname “La Patrona.” For Longoria, fútbol became a cultural bridge and a way to tell authentic Mexican stories on a global stage.

What makes “Necaxa” different from “Welcome to Wrexham”

While comparisons are inevitable, Necaxa carves out its own space. The series is bilingual, reflecting the team’s culture and its players’ realities. Longoria also insists on centering the community’s stories, from the players and coaches to the fans who fill the Estadio Victoria.

According to Variety, she didn’t initially plan to make a series, but once she met the people behind the team, “I thought, ‘This is a TV show.’ The town is a character. The family that runs the team is amazing human beings: the players, the coaches, and the staff.”

Necaxa’s comeback is about more than winning games

For Eva Longoria, telling Necaxa’s story is about more than sports. “Especially in a moment where our community is being villainized, I want to remind people that this is one of the many great things that our country has,” she told Remezcla.

The team’s fight to reclaim its glory mirrors the resilience of the community it represents. In Longoria’s words to NBC News, “It’s what makes you keep coming back for more.” And for Necaxa fans, that fight—no matter the odds—is the point.

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