A familiar face from TV reportedly stepped onto a professional soccer field in Texas over the weekend in an unexpected way. Cristo Fernandez is best known for playing beloved soccer player Dani Rojas on Ted Lasso.
Dani Rojas actor trained and played in a preseason scrimmage
According to reports, Fernandez had been training with the El Paso Locomotive FC since Thursday, Feb 26, with video footage and photos circulating on social media. He played about 30 minutes during Saturday’s preseason friendly scrimmage against New Mexico United, according to Goal.com. The club competes in the USL Championship.
Allegedly, the club will decide this week whether to offer him a professional contract. However, it has not released an official statement on his status, making fans wait to see whether the actor might actually join the roster.
The club fanned the flames of speculation after posting a video on March 1 that featured Fernandez fully kitted out as part of the team.
Fernandez had deeper soccer roots than many viewers realized. When he was a teenager, the actor played youth soccer in Mexico with the Tecos FC academy. At age 15, he even played for Guadalajara Estudiantes Tecos Club in Mexico’s league system, before knee injuries made him pursue other career paths.
Still, the experience never fully left him. He portrayed the endlessly optimistic Dani Rojas on Apple TV’s hit series Ted Lasso.
Fans reacted with excitement and disbelief
News of the 35-year-old actor's training with the professional soccer team spread quickly across social media. Fans shared photos, speculation, and plenty of references to his character as they speculated on the idea of him playing in professional soccer again.
A soccer podcast account, @SeriouslyLoco, wrote, "We were expecting the club to say something first but we have it on good authority that he is likely signing with the club in a playing capacity."
Others reacted with confusion and excitement.
User @JT7s_ posted a photo of Fernandez training and wrote, "DANNY ROJAS IS TRAINING WITH MY LOCAL CLUB! WHAT ON EARTH IS HAPPENING!!!! SOMEONE PLEASE SHARE DETAILS!"
Soon after, more fans chimed in with support. For instance, @YoQuieroHomero commented, "If this is real I'm all for it. I'll definitely be buying a jersey."
At the same time, many people leaned into the joke. They circulated a GIF of Fernandez as Dani Rojas on the practice field while calling out the character’s famous phrase, "Football is life!"
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