Amazon Prime Video’s new documentary series “Good Rivals” will investigate the social and political roots of the rivalry between the Mexican and American international soccer teams, from Mexico’s historic domination of the game to Donald Trump’s election in 2016.
The three-part docuseries, premiering Nov. 24 on Prime Video, tracks the rivalry that has never ceased to pack the stadiums with fans over its 30-year span — including the American team’s inability to beat Mexico in 24 straight games from 1937 to 1980.
Launched by Prime Video Sports, the series will spotlight some of the most memorable careers of the pairing, including Landon Donovan, a striker hailing from Southern California, and Rafa Márquez, a player whose grandfather abandoned the family to move to the U.S., who represented their countries as iconic players in the early to mid 2000s.
After the U.S. was finally victorious at a game during the 2002 World Cup, when the U.S. beat Mexico 2-0, the rivalry was fiercely fought throughout the 2000s before it was heightened once again after Trump was elected to office.
Three days after the election, amid anti-Mexico sentiment in the U.S., the teams met once again for a World Cup qualifying game in Ohio for a tense and dramatic game.
Nicaraguan filmmaker Gabriel Serra directs “Good Rivals,” which will feature a wide variety of American and Mexican perspectives, with episodes accessible in both English and Spanish.
The Prime Video Sports and Skydance Sports is executive produced by Skydance Sports’ David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold, and Jon Weinbach; Meadowlark Media’s John Skipper and Deirdre Fenton; and Ocellated Media’s Dante Möller. Meadowlark Media and Ocellated also serve as producers.
The trailer for “Good Rivals” will air during the Thursday Night Football broadcast and the series will hit Prime Video Nov. 24.