Cristo Fernández, renowned for his role as Dani Rojas in the acclaimed series Ted Lasso, is taking significant steps toward realizing his soccer aspirations as he undergoes a trial with USL Championship team El Paso Locomotive FC.
According to reports from Goal, Fernández, 35, played for 30 minutes in Locomotive’s recent victory over New Mexico United. The team, coached by Junior Gonzalez, is expected to make a decision on signing the actor-turned-footballer within the week.
This isn’t Fernández’s first venture into soccer this season; MIR97 Media later reported that he also participated in activities with Chicago Fire II a few weeks earlier, where he even scored in a win against Forward Madison FC from USL League One.
While it remains unclear if he took any penalties during these matches—or if greyhounds managed to sneak onto the pitch during play—you can enjoy a glimpse of Fernández celebrating with his El Paso teammates in the video below (just click to the right!).
A passionate soccer enthusiast, Fernández’s journey with El Paso represents not only a new opportunity but a return to his roots. Once a promising player, he faced a significant setback when a knee injury at 15 ended his time with Tecos Fútbol Club, leading him to pursue acting at university instead.
Though it’s not unusual for soccer players to transition to acting—like Vinnie Jones and the legendary Eric Cantona—it’s rare to see actors donning the cleats. Yet, Sean Connery famously played for Bonnyrigg Rose in his youth and, according to legend, attracted the attention of Sir Matt Busby with his performance in a casual match while he was scouting for Manchester United.