Cristo Fernandez made his professional soccer debut for the El Paso Locomotive, subbing in in the 79th minute of the Prinx Tires USL Cup match against New Mexico United at Southwest University Park.
Fernandez, who played Dani Rojas in the hit Apple TV show Ted Lasso between 2020 and 2023, came in as a winger Saturday night, July 11, for Rubio Rubín when the score was tied 0-0. After Fernandez came on, New Mexico scored two goals to win 2-0, and Fernandez was yellow-carded for fouling United goalkeeper Kris Shakes.
The Cup match does not count in the USL standings, the last such match this season. Every game the rest of the year counts in the standings.
The 35-year-old Fernandez had an extended tryout earlier in the season and signed with the team on May 12. A Mexican citizen, Fernandez had visa issues that kept him from playing earlier, so the Cup match was the perfect opportunity to get him his first action.
He had been featured in promotional photos for a third jersey the Locomotives were selling.
Moving forward, he is expected to be rostered for many of the home games, meaning he’ll be on the bench and available to sub in. USL teams can suit up 20 players for a match; the Locomotive have 31 players on their roster.
The Locomotive’s next match is Saturday, July 18, in Tulsa, and their next home match is Saturday, July 25, against Jacksonville.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
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