When Cristo Fern\u00e1ndez first arrived as an invitee to El Paso Locomotive FC\u2019s training camp in preseason, it was slightly surreal for fellow forward Rubio Rub\u00edn.<\/p>\n
More than two months later, with Fernandez now officially signed after training with the club since then, aiming to prove worthy of a professional deal, there\u2019s now a feeling of eagerness to have him on board.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember watching Ted Lasso with my wife a year or two ago and we didn\u2019t even think Cristo would be with us, be on the same team,\u201d said Rub\u00edn this week. \u201cHe\u2019s been such a cool guy, integrated well in the group, he\u2019s been pushing a lot in the past month or two with the guys, and we wish him the best. We\u2019re happy that he\u2019s finally signed so we can get past the noise of if he\u2019s signed or not, what is he doing here, on trial or not.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re just happy that he\u2019s part of the team, and we\u2019re going to help him hopefully get on the field.\u201d<\/p>\n
After rousing speculation in preseason when he was spotted competing for El Paso against rival New Mexico United during a preseason scrimmage, Fern\u00e1ndez\u2019s signing was officially announced on Tuesday<\/a>, adding a unique storyline to both Locomotive\u2019s journey this season and the USL Championship campaign.<\/p>\n
WALL TO WALL: Understandably, Fern\u00e1ndez\u2019s arrival in El Paso has drawn far broader coverage than your average signing in the USL Championship. As one of the stars of AppleTV\u2019s Ted Lasso, playing Dani Rojas, Fern\u00e1ndez has become a well-liked figure in the entertainment industry, resulting in this week\u2019s story popping up as much on entertainment news sites<\/a> as sporting ones<\/a>. Before his pursuit of an acting career, though, Fern\u00e1ndez aspired to be a professional soccer player, competing in the Academy program of former Liga MX club Tecos FC before injuries in his late teens derailed his path.<\/p>\n
SECOND CHANCE: Thanks to his breakthrough role as a fictional soccer player, Fern\u00e1ndez connected with figures inside the soccer world. Among them was El Tri legend Andres Guardado<\/a>, whose longevity at the top level of the game has been a marvel of its own. Still feeling the itch to see if he could make it as a professional, last year Fern\u00e1ndez began to work out individually with performance coaches. At the 2025 Concacaf Nations League Finals in Los Angeles he also connected with current Locomotive Head Coach Junior Gonzalez, which opened the door to his opportunity this spring in El Paso.<\/p>\n
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