Could Dani Rojas be on the verge of leaving AFC Richmond?
Not exactly, but the actor Cristo Fernandez, who plays the character in the hit TV show Ted Lasso, could be on the verge of joining a professional soccer club.
Fernandez – better known to millions of fans as the star striker whose mantra is “Futbal is life” – has been on an informal tryout with USL Championship side the El Paso Locomotive FC and appeared in a preseason match for the club this past the weekend.
During the team’s game against New Mexico, Fernandez played 30 minutes in and was seen celebrating with his teammates in a social media post by the club.
The El Paso Times reported that Fernandez trained with the club again on Tuesday and will be with the team into next week.
The club also teased a “big” announcement on its Instagram Stories on Tuesday, showing a picture of podium with team backdrop. The caption on the photo read: “Something big is about to happen. Stay tuned.”
Has Fernandez played pro before?
Fernandez has a deep history in the game, having played youth soccer in his native Mexico. He joined Guadalajara’s Club Deportivo Estudiantes Tecos at the age of 15, but a knee injury forced him to leave the sport. He then became an actor after falling for the profession in college, eventually moving to London, England.
His experience certainly helped him look the part of the team’s star striker in the TV show, playing a big role in the first three seasons of the Apple TV hit.
Fernandez also reportedly played in a friendly with Chicago FC’s reserve squad two weeks ago, scoring a goal against Forward Madison. He currently has no formal connection to Locomotive FC.
Locomotive FC declined a request from the outlet to discuss Fernández potentially joining the club while USL rules prevent the team from making him available to the media until he signs an official contract.
The team’s regular-season opener is set for this Saturday against the Colorado Springs Switchbacks and Fernandez would not be eligible to play unless he is signed before then.
What’s going on with Ted Lasso?
As for Fernandez’s future on Ted Lasso, it is unclear if he will be back for Season 4 of the Emmy award-winning sitcom.
The show’s top-billed stars – Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Brendan Hunt, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein and Jeremy Swift – all set to return for the new season of the hit show, which is set to debut this summer.