El Paso Locomotive signed Cristo Fernandez on Tuesday, bringing the Ted Lasso actor into the squad after he had spent time on trial with the club and appeared in a preseason friendly against New Mexico United.
Fernandez, 35, is best known for playing Dani Rojas on Ted Lasso, but his connection to the sport goes back much further. He came through Tecos FC's youth system before injuries curtailed his soccer career at 15, then later found acting after his playing path was interrupted. El Paso did not release the terms of the contract.
The move gives the Locomotive an added attacking option at a moment when they already sit fourth in the Western Conference and lead the league in goals. Coach Junior Gonzalez called Fernandez a great addition to the roster, saying his passion and leadership would help strengthen the club's culture. That matters for a side that finished fourth in the conference last year before going out in the quarterfinals.
Fernandez had already been in the professional pipeline earlier this year, first with Chicago Fire 2 and then with El Paso, so Tuesday's signing was less a stunt than the culmination of a long-running push to make the comeback real. In his own words, football never truly left his heart, and he said the road back has been about believing in himself, taking risks and keeping his dream alive. The next question is no longer whether he could get a contract. It is whether he can turn a famous sideline story into minutes that matter for a team chasing more than a pleasant surprise.
