Cristo Fernández, known for his role in Ted Lasso, has signed with El Paso Locomotive FC after a 20-year hiatus from professional soccer. The 35-year-old actor returned to the sport following a successful two-month trial with the team.
Key points
Cristo Fernández signed with El Paso Locomotive FC
He returns to soccer after 20 years away
Fernández is 35 years old
He had a two-month trial with the team
A knee injury ended his initial soccer career
Cristo FernándezEl Paso Locomotive FC
Cristo Fernández attending The Critics Choice Association's 5th annual celebration of Latino Cinema & Television
Cristo Fernández has signed for El Paso Locomotive FC -Credit:JC Olivera/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association
(JC Olivera/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association)
A knee injury may have seemingly brought Cristo Fernández’s dream of becoming a professional soccer player to an end, but 20 years later, the now successful actor is making his return to the beautiful game.
The 35-year-old has joined USL Championship side El Paso Locomotive FC as of Tuesday, following a two-month-long trial with the Texan team.
While the specifics of his contract have not been made public, head coach Junior Gonzalez did publish a statement, saying, “Cristo is a great addition to our roster, adding another attacking threat to our forward line.
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As for Fernández, he said, “Fútbol has always been a huge part of my life and identity, and no matter where life has taken me, the dream of competing professionally never truly left my heart.
“I’m incredibly grateful to El Paso Locomotive FC – the club, coaches, staff, and especially my teammates – for opening the doors and giving me the opportunity to compete from day one.
“This journey back to professional fútbol soccer is about believing in yourself, taking risks, and continuing to chase your dreams no matter how unexpected the path may be. Because as we say in Mexico: hay que seguirle echando ganas (let’s keep giving it our all). Siempre agradecido con Dios, mi familia y amistades por creer en mí.
“Maybe I’m just a crazy man with crazy dreams… so being here with the “Locos” actually makes perfect sense. ¡Vamos Locos!”
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Fernández, who will play up front for the Locos, played for Tecos FC, currently in the third tier of Mexican soccer, as a youngster before a knee injury at 15 forced him to leave the game behind.
Back in 2023, he told Backstage that this led him to go “through an existential crisis,” explaining, “I took classes in writing, journalism, and visual languages, and I started shooting videos. No one wanted to act in them, so I thought, I’ll do it. I became famous at my university for being the guy who acts for free, likes it, and is good at it.”
Fernández later added that, “After I recovered from my injury, I tried to go back to the football, but things didn’t work out.
“I finished my degree and started to do shorts and commercials in Guadalajara and saved money for three years. My first gig—playing a life insurance salesman—was also my first acting lesson, because I had to learn a script and play a role.
“That job allowed me to earn the money I needed to go to the U.K. and pay for my master’s at the Guildford School of Acting in 2016.”
The cast of Ted Lasso at the season three premiere
Fernández is best known for playing Dani Rojas in the Apple TV+ series Ted Lasso -Credit:Robin L Marshall/WireImage
It didn’t take long for this gamble to pay off, with Fernández joining the cast of Apple TV+’s sensational soccer series Ted Lasso as the energetic forward Dani Rojas. The series debuted in 2020 and initially ran for three seasons.
Since then, he has appeared in movies such as Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Venom: The Last Dance, and Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
