Two siblings are rivals in the world of professional soccer.
Mexican half-brothers Beto and Tato--who will eventually be appropriately nicknamed Rudo (rough) and Cursi (corny)--have a typical love/hate relationship. They both work on a banana plantation and live with their extended family consisting of their mother, abusive stepfather, sister Nadia, and Beto's wife Toña and their children. The family are rural peasant class and are barely making ends meet. The brothers' fortunes change when into their lives comes Batuta, a soccer scout. Despite their advancing ages, both Beto and Tato are naturally gifted at soccer, Beto as a goaltender and Tato as a striker. Playing professionally has always been Beto's dream, although Tato has other professional thoughts. Batuta eventually recruits both for different teams in Mexico City. Beto's and Tato's fortunes rise and fall, the falls based on things which hold more passion for the brothers--Tato loves fast women, specifically television spokesmodel Maya, but he loves singing even more. He would give up his soccer career for one in Mexican country singing, if only he was any good. Beto's passion is gambling. Although Beto is upfront and straightforward about most things, he would lie and cheat to hide his gambling problem and debts. They just need to keep these alternate passions in check to make their soccer lives lucrative ones.—Huggo
Two brothers from a rural Mexican village are playing in a local football match. Tato (Gael Garcia) is the star striker and Beto (Diego Luna) is the eccentric goalkeeper. During one match they are spotted by a talent scout and he offers one of them the opportunity to go to the Capital with him and try out for one of the country's big teams. As the scouts roster is already full he says he can only take one of the brothers and they decide to settle it on a penalty shoot out. Tato scores the penalty against his brother therefore earning the right to head to the Capital.
After a slow start Tato finally makes it big and earns the nickname 'Cursi'. His brother soon follows and joins a rival team where he is given the nickname 'Rudo'. Cursi becomes a national hero and starts dating a famous model whilst his brother struggles with life in the City and misses his family back home.
Things start to go worse for the brothers. Tato loses his goal-scoring touch and his woman, and his brother gets lured into a world of cocaine and gambling. The film all centers around one match as the two brothers come face to face. Cursi is threatened with demotion to the Second Division if he fails to score in this match, Rudo must throw the match in order to pay off his gambling debts or he will be killed. In the last minute Rudo saves a penalty from Tato and the match finishes goalless. Cursi quits football and returns home and Rudo is shot, losing a leg and therefore his career.
They both end up back in the rural village with their family where the simpler way of life seems to suit them more.
