Every television season needs an underdog, and the Spanish-language comedy 90 Minutes offers up one of the scrappiest packs in recent memory. Our setting is Ecatepec, a dense, dusty slice of Greater Mexico City that feels a world away from polished sitcom suburbs. Here we find Las Navajas FC, a soccer club whose pride is inversely proportional to their talent.
They are a collection of misfits held together by sheer will and the passion of their owner, Gil Gordillo (Álvaro Guerrero). Gil is an auto mechanic by trade and the team’s aging goalie by stubborn choice; the club is his life’s work. The series kicks off when a post-match brawl lands the team a 100,000-peso fine it cannot possibly pay.
Making matters worse, a local gangster’s son wants to bulldoze their historic field for a casino. Their only hope is to win a local tournament. For a team that can barely complete a pass, the odds are not great. This is a classic setup, but the show’s blend of sharp comedy and earnest drama gives it a fresh coat of paint.
A Roster of Rogues and Redeemers
The soul of Las Navajas is undoubtedly Gil, whose hangdog determination gives the team its heart. Álvaro Guerrero plays him as a man running on fumes and faith. Estranged from his wife, his identity is completely fused with the club, making its potential collapse an existential threat. His passion leads him to Veneno Montoya (José María de Tavira), a local legend whose own spectacular soccer career was cut short by an accident, leaving him with a prosthetic leg and a job serving drinks.
De Tavira gives Veneno a captivating mix of charisma and vulnerability; he is a man hiding from the sport that broke him, and his initial, vehement refusal to coach is palpable. His journey from broken recluse to reluctant mentor forms the show’s central emotional engine. Acting as a grounding force is Gil’s daughter, Alma (Teresa Ruiz), recently returned from America with her young son. Ruiz’s naturalistic performance is a perfect counterweight to the team’s wild antics.
She brings a dose of pragmatism to her father’s dreams and shares a complicated past with Veneno that adds another potent source of friction. The team itself is a brilliantly chaotic mix, from an exotic dancer who hogs the ball to an aspiring rapper. They are flawed, funny, and fiercely loyal, a found family that feels authentically messy and completely incapable of winning anything.
Concrete Jungles and Casino Dreams
90 Minutes understands that a team is nothing without its town. Ecatepec is more than a location; its grit and energy are baked into the show’s DNA. The direction uses wide shots of the bustling municipality to establish a lived-in world, from the cracked pavement to the grungy, wood-paneled office of a league official who would rather be playing computer solitaire.
The soccer pitch isn’t just grass; it represents a history that the show’s villain, the slick Yuriel Santana (Raúl Méndez), wants to pave over. Yuriel, with his easy cash and gangster pedigree, is the face of a predatory future threatening to erase the community’s past. He pays fines and bribes with a casual flick of the wrist, representing a systemic corruption that makes the team’s fight feel even more desperate.
This conflict gives the show its stakes. The series navigates this tension with a specific brand of humor that swings from wry to slapstick. In one perfectly pitched scene, the team gathers in a bar to mourn the sudden death of their coach, only to be nonchalantly robbed at gunpoint moments later. It’s a moment that captures the show’s tone: life in this part of the world is tough, and sometimes the only response is a deep sigh before you get on with it.
One More Shot at Glory
At its center, this is a show about second chances. Veneno’s return to the pitch is not just about teaching a team to win; it is about a man learning to live with his own ghosts. For him, redemption means reconnecting with the community he fled, owning his mistakes, and facing his past with Alma. His journey is the most obvious, but the theme extends to the entire club.
As one player bluntly puts it, who would want to coach a bunch of “washed-up, screwed-up, out-of-shape, beer-bellied, goofy-ass has-beens?” That line, full of brutal self-awareness, is what they are fighting against. This tournament is their final, defiant stand against that label, a fight for dignity as much as for victory.
Even Alma finds her own path forward, discovering a new sense of purpose while managing her father’s chaotic world. The show works because it recognizes that the score is secondary to the struggle. It finds its appeal in the messy process of trying. The real question isn’t whether Las Navajas can save their field, but whether a team of broken people can save each other.
Full Credits
Director: Joe Rendón, Nadia Ayala Tabachnik
Writers: José Miguel Núñez, Alejandra Rodriguez, Erick Castrillon
Producers and Executive Producers: Joe Rendón, Irune Ariztoy, Juan Manuel Borbolla, Brandon Francis, Catalina Ramirez
Cast: Mario Alberto Monroy, José María de Tavira, Álvaro Guerrero, Azalia Ortiz, Diego Guzmán, Gimena Gómez, Pamela Ramírez, Jesús Lozano, Raúl Méndez, Xabiani Ponce de León, Lety Grey, Cinthya Hernández, Teresa Ruiz, Adrián Vázquez, Pierre Louis, Juan Pablo de Santiago, Isaac Bravo
The Review
90 Minutes
90 Minutes takes a familiar underdog sports formula and injects it with so much heart, humor, and authentic local flavor that it feels entirely new. Supported by a fantastic cast who balance comedy with genuine pathos, the series is a warm and witty look at community, failure, and the defiant hope of a second chance. While the plot points may not always surprise, the execution is so charming and the characters so well-drawn that it is easy to root for this team of lovable losers. It is a true gem worth your time.
PROS
- A heartfelt and humorous script that skillfully balances comedic moments with dramatic weight.
- Strong, charismatic performances from the entire cast, particularly the leads.
- The characters are endearing, flawed, and easy to become invested in.
- A rich, authentic sense of place that makes the setting of Ecatepec vital to the story.
- Meaningful exploration of themes like community, redemption, and found family.
CONS
- The central plot follows the familiar trajectory of an underdog sports story, making some developments predictable.
- The focus is heavily on character drama, which might leave viewers seeking constant sports action wanting more.
