In Mexico, futbol (soccer) is a language. It’s a way of life. And it’s a life Eva Longoria is now immersed in.

The multi-hyphenate star is an investor in Club Necaxa, one of the oldest and most storied soccer teams in Mexico and their journey is being documented in a new FX series, “Necaxa.”

“You’re going to fall in love with these players. You’re going to fall in with our characters, the technical team, the coaches,” Longoria told On The Red Carpet. “You can’t write the emotion and the drama in scripted that you get with a vérité docu-series in sports. It’s like the stakes are so high every week because every game matters.”

The team’s home base is Aguascalientes, Mexico, after moving out of Mexico City in 2003. The team itself has been through a turbulent time lately, with staff shake-ups and major injuries. And while they’ve been in and out of the spotlight, the fans haven’t given up hope that their beloved “Rayos” will rise again.

“There’s a philosophy in Necaxa,” Longoria explained. “You’re not a Necaxa fan if you don’t suffer. There’s this idea that you have to suffer to win. And so they’re kind of okay with it. So we see a lot of that in the series.”

Longoria told us her fears did kick in as she joined the team and the community. Would she 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,” Longoria admitted. “But they received me with open arms and they’ve given me a nickname, ‘La Patrona.’ So once you get a nickname in Mexico, you’re pretty much in.”

“La Patrona” means “The Boss” and it’s the job Longoria took seriously. She looked to friends Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds, who are the co-chairs of Wrexham AFC, a Welsh soccer club that’s made history with back-to-back-to-back promotions. And they’re the executive producers of “Welcome to Wrexham,” the series that follows that journey.

Mac and Reynolds are also investors in Club Necaxa, and along with Longoria are executive producers for this show.

“They bring so much passion and hope. I mean, what they did with Wrexham was really impressive because they’re great storytellers,” Longoria said. “I just loved how they humanized the town of Wrexham.”

“In Mexico, Necaxa is already in the big leagues. They’re trying to hold on to this glory and legacy and live up to that legacy that Necaxa has as a club. And so to return to those glory days is the journey that we tell in the series,” she added.

“Necaxa” airs Thursdays on FXX and streams on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.

The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of FX, Hulu and this ABC station.