ไทย
English
中國人
Hollywood actor Cristo Fernández, widely recognized for portraying star forward Dani Rojas in the popular Apple TV series Ted Lasso, has secured a professional soccer contract that brings his on-screen role to life.
Following a rigorous two-month trial period, Fernández inked a deal with USL Championship club El Paso Locomotive FC, the second-division side confirmed on Tuesday. He will take on the striker role both on the field and in front of the camera.
"Cristo is a fantastic addition to our squad, bringing another offensive weapon to our attacking line," Locomotive head coach Junior Gonzalez said. "His dedication to the sport and the leadership he brings to our locker room help us continue building the strong culture we work hard to maintain as a club."
The 35-year-old has been training with the El Paso squad since early March and even appeared in their preseason fixture against New Mexico United, logging 30 minutes of action. He also had a trial with Chicago Fire II, netting a goal for the MLS Next Pro side in a preseason friendly.
Soccer Player to Actor to Soccer-Playing Actor to Actor Playing Soccer
Fernández began his soccer journey at the youth level with Tecos FC in his hometown of Guadalajara, Mexico, eventually working his way up to the second division of the now-defunct Liga MX club in pursuit of a professional career. A knee injury, however, redirected his path entirely. He briefly joined Puerto Rico's Guayama FC before transitioning to acting, relocating to the United Kingdom to complete his master's degree.
The actor appeared in several independent films before landing the perfect opportunity to merge both of his passions in Ted Lasso, where he portrayed Rojas, an energetic striker for the fictional Premier League club AFC Richmond.
"From the time I was young, the first thing I did once I started walking was play soccer, like so many of us in Mexico," Fernández told Grupo Formula in 2021. "But then I wanted to leave soccer behind completely because it was something that caused me pain [after abandoning his dream of turning professional].
"It's something I chased and things didn't work out the way I had hoped. But no matter how hard I tried to move on, soccer found its way back to me [through Ted Lasso] and here we are — that's life, isn't it?"
Now, soccer has returned to Fernández in an even more concrete way. El Paso Locomotive, currently sitting fourth among 12 teams in the Western Conference standings, resume action on May 27 in the USL Cup group stage against AV Alta FC, before returning to league competition on May 30 against Lexington SC.