Cristo Fernández, widely recognized for portraying Dani Rojas on the hit TV series Ted Lasso, is currently pursuing a professional soccer opportunity with El Paso Locomotive FC in the USL Championship.
The 35-year-old actor is on trial with the Texas-based club and logged 30 minutes in a preseason friendly against New Mexico United over the weekend. El Paso won the match, and the club later shared images on social media showing Fernández celebrating with teammates.
Fernández has trained with the squad throughout the week and is expected to remain with the team into next week. A decision on whether to offer him a professional contract is anticipated soon. At present, he does not have a formal agreement with the club. Under USL regulations, El Paso cannot make him available to the media unless he signs a contract.
Earlier this year, Fernández also spent time with Chicago Fire FC II and scored in a friendly against Forward Madison FC, according to MIR97 Media.
Before launching his acting career, Fernández played youth soccer in Mexico and was part of the Tecos FC academy setup until the age of 15. However, two significant knee injuries forced him to step away from the sport. He later resumed playing in Puerto Rico’s First Division with Guayama FC, where the club came close to qualifying for the CONCACAF Champions League.
Related: Alysa Liu’s Wholesome Reaction To Meeting Daniel Radcliffe
For the unversed, Fernández earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Universidad del Valle de Atemajac and later completed a master’s degree in acting at the Guildford School of Acting at the University of Surrey in England.
He is 35 years old, born Jan. 27, 1991, and would become the oldest player on El Paso’s current roster if signed. Defender Arturo Ortiz, 33, is presently the second-oldest player on the squad.
EFL Clubs Approve Six-Team Championship Play-Off Expansion
Separately, clubs in the English Football League have voted to expand the Championship play-offs from four teams to six, beginning with the 2026-27 season. Under the new format, teams finishing third through eighth will compete for promotion to the Premier League.
Clubs finishing third and fourth will advance directly to the semi-finals. Teams in fifth and sixth will host one-legged quarter-finals against eighth and seventh respectively. The semi-finals will remain two-legged ties, and the final will continue to be played at Wembley Stadium at the end of May.
The Championship play-offs have involved four teams since their introduction in the 1986-87 season. The proposal to expand the format was approved by the EFL board and the Football Association after several months of discussion.
In Case You Missed: Charles Leclerc And Alexandra Saint Mleux Marry In Monaco Civil Ceremony
EFL chief executive Trevor Birch said the change aims to increase competitive fixtures at the end of the campaign and provide two additional clubs with a chance to reach the play-off final and secure promotion.
