Ted Lasso actor Cristo Fernández makes professional soccer debut

Cristo Fernández, the actor who portrayed Dani Rojas on the Apple TV series "Ted Lasso," made his professional soccer debut Saturday for El Paso Locomotive FC in a USL Cup group-stage match against New Mexico United.

The 35-year-old Mexican actor entered the match in the 79th minute, replacing Rubio Rubín. He remained on the field for 11 minutes and recorded three touches during his appearance. Fernández received a yellow card during his first professional match.

The match was scoreless when Fernández entered the game. New Mexico United scored twice in the closing stretch to defeat El Paso Locomotive 2-0.

On "Ted Lasso," which aired on Apple TV over three seasons, Fernández's character Dani Rojas was a forward known for his optimism, charisma, and passion for the sport. The series, which premiered six years ago, followed an American football coach unexpectedly hired to manage the fictional AFC Richmond team in the Premier League despite having no soccer experience. The show combined soccer with storylines about leadership, friendship, and mental health.