Cristo Fernandez quit Ted Lasso to launch his pro soccer career - was it worth it?

Analysis

Tom Weber | Writer

Multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer.

Cristo Fernandez fulfilled a lifelong dream when he made his professional soccer debut for El Paso Locomotive in the USL Cup last month.

The Mexican actor, best known for portraying Dani Rojas in the hit Apple TV series Ted Lasso, has been a real-life soccer fanatic since childhood. Growing up, he played the sport at the youth level for Tecos near his native Guadalajara until injury problems forced him to pursue a TV career.

Earlier this year, however, Fernandez was given the chance to belatedly become a professional athlete. After exercising with the MLS Next Pro team of the Chicago Fire, he was offered a trial at USL Championship outfit El Paso Locomotive.

Following a two-month training program, he was officially signed as a forward and handed what is believed to be a standard one-year contract. He particularly impressed in a pre-season friendly against rivals New Mexico United.

It was therefore only fitting that he made his professional debut against the same team. In July, El Paso hosted New Mexico in the USL Cup and still had a slim chance of progressing. Needing goals, coach Junior Gonzalez turned to Fernandez.

What has happened since Fernandez's debut?

The 35-year-old came on in the 79th minute, and he certainly made waves with his debut. The clip of his substitution went viral on social media and garnered millions of views - a welcome PR boost for USL in what has been a year marred by public disagreements with the players' union over a new bargaining agreement.

Ultimately, though, Fernandez's debut was disappointing. He played 16 minutes, had just three touches of the ball and received a yellow card as El Paso lost 2-0 and exited the USL Cup. Things haven't gone much better for him since.

In order to focus on his new career, Fernandez has not returned for Ted Lasso Season 4 to play Dani Rojas, but he could certainly use his character's infectious optimism - because he hasn't been seen on the pitch since his debut.

El Paso have played six matches since that USL Cup fixture against New Mexico, and not only has Fernandez not featured in any of them, he hasn't even made a single matchday squad. This may not change anytime soon because Locomotive have some real momentum right now.

Having started the season strongly, they endured a pretty disastrous slump from mid-April to mid-July, but they have now firmly bounced back. El Paso have won four of their last five matches, including a comprehensive 3-0 Copa Tejas beatdown of San Antonio at the weekend.

What's particularly impressive about this run is that they have kept clean sheets in all four of their wins. There isn't really any reason for coach Gonzalez to change things up, which means that Fernandez could be on the outside looking in for the foreseeable future.

This shouldn't be entirely surprising, to be fair. You can't simply start a professional soccer career at 35 and expect to be able to meaningfully contribute on a second-division team.

His lack of action is perfectly understandable from a sporting point of view, but of course, it's not a particularly great look for El Paso or USL. Many felt that this signing was a PR stunt, and it increasingly seems as though the cynics were correct.

The fact that you're more likely to see Fernandez in a Charly commercial with Hugo Sanchez during a USL half-time show than actually on the pitch is not ideal. Things could be going better, that's for sure.