How ‘Ted Lasso’ star Cristo Fernández became a real soccer player

This is a different World Cup in many ways — lots of things going on around it, both good and bad. But I like to focus on the positive. I think the fact that we're living through matches where teams that maybe wouldn't have had the opportunity in other times are now playing and making history, that's incredible. And personally, for example, with Costa Verde, I have my new hero: Vozinha, who, at 40 years old, is such an inspiration. When you learn about his life story and everything he's doing, it’s so inspiring. And for me, this is my first World Cup, experiencing it in person because I was always watching it on TV. Being able to attend the inaugural match with my sister and friends has become one of my favorite memories in the history of football and World Cups.

Seeing my team win is something I’ll never forget. And I think we can aspire to a lot with the Mexican national team. I have faith that we're going to break this curse we've been carrying—that sixth match streak.

Yes. I started playing football in Mexico, in Guadalajara, as a kid. Different situations, injuries, life, studies, new passions… I ended up discovering film and acting through my communications studies. Then I went to study acting in the UK, and while I was away, just when I wanted to distance myself from football, football came back into my life through “Ted Lasso” and Danny Rojas. I started fulfilling dreams of being a footballer without actually being one. But it was confusing—I didn't really know what to think. I set a quiet goal for myself to see if I could really still compete and play at a high level. 

About two years ago, I started training on my own. Last year, I shared that dream with my family. I've always driven my parents a bit crazy. First, I wanted to be a footballer, then I said I wanted to be an actor, and now I'm telling them I want to be a footballer again. My dad warned me and said, "Cristóbal, you're going to throw everything away. I mean, this acting thing, it hasn't been easy, and getting where we are hasn't been easy." But I explained to him that there are some things in life you can only do once. Football is something I can't do my whole life because a high-performance level is something you can't sustain forever.

I explained my passion and everything I was thinking, and he understood. He said, "Well, if anyone can accomplish crazy things, it's you." My dad, my mom, my sister, and my friends have always been my inspiration. This year, I started looking for a team where this opportunity could happen. And I'm very grateful to be here in El Paso with Los Locos. There's a reason we're here, all of us who are here. I was looking for a team, but I found a family instead. Everyone has great energy, and they've supported me. It hasn't been easy because even when you think you're in good physical condition, when you're on the field, you realize how much you're struggling and what you're missing. So there have been months of trials, and I'm grateful to the coaching staff and my teammates who motivate me to keep working hard. These are players who've done important things in their careers, who've been living off of this for years. The fact that they accept me and let me compete means so much, but it's also a commitment to keep working hard. 

I'm waiting for my athlete visa, which is taking a bit longer than usual right now with immigration issues in this country. But you have to be patient. Everything happens when it's supposed to. 

I'm really grateful because this year there have been opportunities, and I'm very thankful to the brands for thinking of me and including me in their campaigns. Personally, what I liked most was that it wasn't just a campaign for the World Cup—the focus was on celebrating the fan, and the culture around the game. That culture includes rituals, even haircuts. One of the scenes people remember from Ted Lasso involved the barber and the haircut. Now that I’m in El Paso, with Los Locos, the barber is someone we see every day. I haven't cut mine yet because I like my hair long, but I’m thinking about it. Changes are good.

This year, I'm putting my acting career largely to the side because I can't do everything. High-performance training takes all day, literally the training, recovery, training again. But with my sister Paloma, I'm developing our production company, “Espectro MX Films.” This year, we're releasing our feature film called "No Translation Required.” It's a bilingual romantic comedy. We tackle the theme of migration, but through comedy, and we shot it in Guadalajara. 

Despite everything and all the opportunities that God has sent my way in film and acting, this is my first leading role. And I hope it's a reminder and serves as inspiration for anyone with a crazy dream that I had to take the initiative, give myself an opportunity, and prove that I could be the lead in a project. In general, there are many things we can't control in this industry, both in sports and in art. Many things aren't in our control because sometimes you can give a great performance or a great game, but you might not be called up for the film or the match. And it has nothing to do with whether you're good or bad—it's just other decisions being made. For me, it's always been about focusing on what I can do and control, because otherwise life becomes very frustrating. 

I also have a podcast called "Football is Life.” We discuss comedy, football, but also the idea that life is more than football. We talk about lots of themes around football with people I admire and respect. I also have a children's book called "Football is Life." It's based on my own experiences and how sometimes you want to focus all your energy on one thing, but in life, other things also complement you and help you. I think at the end of the day, everything helps, especially in a world with so much pressure from all sides. As the years go by, you think you should have already done a thousand things, according to who knows who. But I believe we all live our own marathon, and it's never too late to fulfill our dreams.