Cristo Fernández, beloved by fans the world over for his role as Dani Rojas in the hit television show Ted Lasso, looks set to make his soccer dreams leap from the silver screen to reality as he trials with USL Championship side El Paso Locomotive FC.
Goal has reported that Fernández, 35, logged half-an-hour for Locomotive in their win against New Mexico United over the weekend, with the Junior Gonzalez-coached side set to determine if they will sign the actor-turned-soccer player to a contract in the coming week.
And it’s seemingly not the first club that Fernández has looked to land with ahead of the coming season, with MIR97 Media subsequently reporting that he had also logged time with Chicago Fire II a few weeks ago and even scored in a win over USL League One outfit Forward Madison FC.
There was no word on if he took a penalty in either game — nor if there were any greyhounds attempting to cross the pitch when he did so — but in the video below (just click to the right!) you can clearly see Fernández celebrating El Paso’s win with his teammates.
An avid soccer fan who is can often be found attending professional matches, Fernández’s attempt to land with El Paso don’t so much represent a new path so much as a return to the old one. A promising player in his youth, Fernández suffered a serious knee injury with hometown side Tecos Fútbol Club when he was 15 years old, and subsequently turned to acting at university.
Soccer players stepping onto the screen, of course, isn’t exactly a new phenomena; the likes of Vinnie Jones and the incomparable Eric Cantona amongst those who traded their boots for the bright lights of Hollywood. The reverse path isn’t as common but not unheard of, either, with Sean Connery playing for Bonnyrigg Rose as a youngster and, according to legend, offered a contract Sir Matt Busby after impressing in a kickabout against a side the legendary Manchester United boss happened to be scouting.
