After playing a soccer star on TV, “Ted Lasso” actor Cristo Fernández just landed a spot on a pro team in real life.
This week, Fernández achieved a lifelong dream, signing a contract to play for El Paso Locomotive FC, a United Soccer League team in Texas.
The club announced the deal this week in a statement.
“My inner child is very happy,” Fernández, 35, told The Washington Post.
On “Ted Lasso,” Fernández has been a fan favorite, playing the joyful soccer star Dani Rojas on all three seasons of the show.
It was a natural fit from the start.
When Fernández was growing up in Guadalajara, Mexico, his grandmother gave him a soccer ball to get his energy out — and he fell in love with the sport.
“Like any kid in Mexico, that was the biggest dream. Because football — soccer — is a religion in Mexico,” Fernández said.
By age 15, he earned a spot in a professional youth league that serves as a pipeline to a more competitive division — which meant leaving high school and taking classes at night.
“That gave my parents a heart attack,” Fernández said.
He was successful in the league and felt like he was on his way to advancing — until injuries cut his career short. He was devastated and said he felt lost.
His parents encouraged him to go back to school and find another path. In college he discovered another passion: acting and film.
“Acting gave me that feeling of feeling like a child again,” Fernández said. “Starting fresh again.”
He sold insurance for two years to save money, then moved to the United Kingdom to continue his studies. He didn’t have a work visa, so he left the country periodically, and couldn’t work legally. He said he often would get close to getting a part and then miss out — until finally he was cast in “Ted Lasso” as Dani Rojas.
As he achieved success as an actor, the soccer plot of “Ted Lasso” kept him connected to game he loved.
Last year, Fernández started thinking about making the leap to return to pro soccer. He tried out with various teams during preseason this year, playing friendly matches and training with them.
When he got signed this week, it stirred excitement in the soccer community.
“I was a little surprised,” said Joseph Lowery, founder of the soccer website Backheeled, a website that covers American soccer. “Going from playing soccer as a youth player … finding another career and then coming back … I don’t really think there’s ever been any parallel to this.”
Soccer analyst David Gass of Kickback Soccer Media, said Fernández’s spot on the roster has turned heads.
“I have not seen him play, but it makes me think maybe there’s a little bit more there than we realize,” Gass said.
Othoniel “Junior” Gonzalez, head coach for El Paso Locomotive FC, emphasized that Fernández earned his contract like the other players.
“This isn’t a gimmick for us,” Gonzalez said. “It’s about the team and team first.
Gonzalez said Fernández brings skills, leadership and humility to the game.
“He’s an attacking player. He’s a goal scorer, similar to the role he played in ‘Ted Lasso,’” Gonzalez said. “He gives us depth in the center forward position and also as a winger.”
Now that he’s on the team, Fernández will have to earn playing time like any other player, Gonzalez said.
In a statement to The Post, the president of USL Championship, Jeremy Alumbaugh said: “While many fans know him as Dani Rojas on Ted Lasso, soccer has always been central to Cristo’s life … Cristo brings an authentic love for the game and connection with fans that reflects the values of the United Soccer League and our clubs.”
Fernández said he hopes his story will inspire other people to shoot for what they love.
“It’s never too late to accomplish your dreams. No matter what anyone says,” Fernández said. “Being yourself is your best superpower.”
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