Ted Lasso actor Cristo Fernandez makes professional debut for El Paso

Cristo Fernández’s first professional appearance came after an exhaustive two-month trial, not a ceremonial cameo. The 35-year-old Mexican actor, best known as Dani Rojas on Ted Lasso, came on in the 79th minute for El Paso Locomotive in a 2-0 USL Cup loss to New Mexico United at Southwest University Park in El Paso, Texas.

His route to the roster was built on more than celebrity name recognition. El Paso signed Fernández on May 12, 2026 after he trained regularly with the squad and appeared in a preseason match against New Mexico United. That background made his debut look less like a publicity stunt than a place won through the same week-to-week demands faced by everyone else in the dressing room.

El Paso head coach Junior Gonzalez had already framed the signing in football terms. He called Fernández "a great addition" and praised his attacking threat, passion for the game, and leadership qualities. The club’s roster lists him as a forward from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, and says he was born on Jan. 27, 1991.

The match itself carried the edge of a rivalry fixture. It was part of the Prinx Tires USL Cup, and New Mexico United arrived as one of El Paso’s highest-profile opponents. Fernández wore No. 91 when he entered, joining a game that remained scoreless until the final minutes before New Mexico broke through. Joseph Quiah scored in the 85th minute, and Zico Bailey added a second goal four minutes later.

The debut also landed in a setting that mixed sport and spectacle without reducing either one to the other. USL attention around the signing had already made Fernández one of the league’s most visible newcomers, but the actual test came in a standard competitive setting against a longtime rival, with points, minutes, and defensive responsibility on the line. For teammate Rubio Rubín, the arrival of the Ted Lasso star was "slightly surreal," yet the roster move was handled like any other addition to a squad chasing results.

Fernández’s club bio says he began his professional career with Tecos FC at the youth level. On Saturday, that background met the present-day grind of the USL, where a famous face still has to take a seat on the bench, wait for the call, and earn every minute that follows.