Cristo Fernandez, the actor who portrayed Dani Rojas in the Apple TV+ series Ted Lasso, has signed a professional contract with El Paso Locomotive FC. The U.S. second-tier side in the USL Championship announced the signing on Tuesday.
Fernandez, 35, played youth football in Mexico before a knee injury at age 15 led him to step away from the sport and pursue acting. In his effort to return to professional football, he trained with the Chicago Fire reserves earlier this year and underwent a two-month trial with El Paso, which included a preseason appearance against New Mexico United.
Reflecting on his journey, Fernandez said that football has always been a huge part of his identity and that the dream of competing professionally never truly left his heart. He added, "Maybe I’m just a crazy man with crazy dreams."
El Paso head coach Junior Gonzalez called Fernandez a great addition to the roster, stating that he provides another attacking threat to the forward line. Gonzalez also noted that Fernandez's passion and leadership qualities will help the club continue to grow its positive culture.
Founded in 2018, El Paso Locomotive FC currently ranks fourth in Group B of the USL Championship standings. The terms of the deal were not disclosed and are still subject to approval by the league and soccer federation.