The question that inevitably follows Ted Lasso star Cristo Fernandez around is: do you actually play soccer? And up until very recently, that was an awkward question to answer.

Fernandez showed promise as a footballer in his home city of Guadalajara growing up, but sadly had to put his dreams of football stardom on hold because of a knee injury at the age of 15. Perhaps boosted by the spirit of his lovable character, Dani Rojas, Fernandez has successfully reignited his professional football dream.

After trialling with USL Championship side El Paso Locomotive, Fernandez was offered a professional contract before making his debut in the USL Cup a couple of months later. The 35-year-old’s dream come true is the stuff of movies (or a sports dramedy series.) But how has Dani Rojas inspired Fernandez’s rise to the big leagues of American soccer?

Apple TV

The Mexican actor fell in love with football at a young age, and was determined to pursue professional football as a career. Fernandez ended up being signed to the youth academy of former Liga MX champions Tecos FC, going on to make appearances for their B team in Mexico’s second division.

After his knee injury shattered his dreams of football stardom, he discovered a fondness for acting whilst studying at college, eventually moving to England and graduating from the Guildford School of Acting in 2018. After appearing in a few independent films, Fernandez had his breakthrough, landing a role on Apple TV’s Ted Lasso.

How Fernandez’s Experiences Shaped Dani Rojas

Apple TV

Fernandez didn’t just wow the casting directors and writers with his audition; he changed the direction of Dani Rojas’ character arc for the popular football comedy series. Building on his personal mantra of ‘football is life’, Fernandez revealed how his audition had an impact on the character he would eventually play.

“When I did that audition, I also had to speak about my life experience in football, soccer,” said the Mexican actor in an interview with TalkShopLive.

“It turns out the writers felt very passionate about how I expressed this phrase and my passion for football, soccer.”

As a promising young footballer who had his career cut short, Fernandez had a rare quality that he could bring to the character. Starring in the first three seasons of the hit show, the Mexican star was able to accurately perform many of the soccer stunts in the show alongside his more dramatic duties.

But the creation of Dani Rojas wasn’t just a case of art imitating life. For Fernandez, it reignited a dream that he thought was condemned to the past.

Cristo Fernandez’s Professional Debut

Soccer, again, came calling for Fernandez in a very unexpected way. And the character of Dani Rojas had gotten the 35-year-old thinking about his professional aspirations two decades after they’d been put into a box. Speaking about the itch to return to football with GOAL, Fernandez stated, “One thing is to speak and say things, another one is to do them, so that’s why, for the next years, I just didn’t say anything.”

But after finding a friend in fellow Guadalajara native and former Mexico captain Andrés Guardado, the Ted Lasso star was finally able to voice his aspirations. Guardado stepped in, recommending a performance coach and a physical therapist to get Fernandez to the required level of fitness.

With the help of his management team, Fernandez secured a few trials with USL and MLS sides, most notably Chicago Fire. Things didn’t work out with the MLS side, but it did lead to another professional opportunity with El Paso Locomotive. “I talked about it secretly with my family and my dad,” said Fernandez. “He always was like, ‘Ay, Cristobal, you are very crazy, but I believe in you, and if this is something you want, you can do it.'”

The blessing from his family gave Fernandez fresh determination heading into the tryouts. The two-month trial with El Paso was incredibly successful, resulting in his first ever professional contract. The club is known affectionately to its supporters as “Los Locos”, and the Mexican actor sees this as a perfect fit for his personality. “I am a crazy person, so that’s why I say this proudly, that I am grateful with Los Locos.”

As for that age-old question, and after trying for the first 35 years of his life, Cristo Fernandez can now say, “Actually, yes, I do play soccer.”

The Judgment Day gained a new ally on WWE Raw, as WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia emerged from the crowd to bolster the villainous faction’s ongoing feud with Danhausen and Joe Hendry.

Hendry and Danhausen appeared on the July 27 episode at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California to deliver a special concert. But the unlikely duo had their musical extravaganza cut short by Garcia, with JD McDonagh and Dominik Mysterio supporting the ambush.

‘King Ryan’ might seem an unlikely addition to the faction given his lack of professional wrestling experience, but there’s a major reason why he was introduced into the storyline.

Garcia Calls Curfew on Danhausen and Joe Hendry

Credit: WWE

Danhausen and Hendry have been a stubborn thorn in the side of the Judgment Day as of late. As well as cursing numerous members of the group, Danhausen recorded a win over McDonagh at the latest installment of Saturday Night’s Main Event, ensuring his unbeaten streak in WWE continued. Hendry, meanwhile, defeated Mysterio on last week’s episode of Raw with an assist from Danhausen.

And with a SummerSlam showdown between the quirky superstar and Mysterio yet to come, perhaps their celebratory concert was premature. Hendry played his usual guitar whilst Danhausen joined him on an organ very befitting of his gimmick. A group of mini-hausens and the LA Clippers dancers also added to the routine.

But unknown to the pair, Garcia had managed to sneak into the dance line before pouncing on the musical act. Garcia delivered his best Jeff Jarrett impression, smashing the guitar across Hendry’s back. McDonagh and Mysterio then rushed the ring, attacking Danhausen and the mini-hausens before Dirty Dom could land a Frog Splash on his SummerSlam opponent. McDonaugh concluded the attack by destroying the remaining instruments.

Why Did Ryan Garcia Align with The Judgment Day?

Whilst celebrity appearances in WWE have become the norm over recent years, a reigning boxing world champion ambushing WWE superstars is on a slightly different level. But with a major world title fight on his calendar, a report from Cageside Seats suggests that Garcia’s involvement is solely designed to promote his highly-anticipated first title defence.

The American made headlines in February when he captured his first major world title at the T-Mobile Arena, defeating Mario Barrios via unanimous decision. The win took Garcia’s record to 25-2 (1), with 20 of them via knockout.

And Garcia will return to the site of his maiden world title win to make his first defence. The 27-year-old will head back to the T-Mobile Arena on September 12 to fight mandatory challenger Conor Benn. The pair have incredibly similar records, with Benn at 25-1 and 14 knockouts. His sole loss came against Chris Eubank Jr in 2025, although Benn won the rematch.

Garcia is promoted by Golden Boy, but the card for the fight will be co-promoted by Zuffa Boxing, the joint venture between TKO and Saudi-based entertainment company Sela. TKO also owns WWE. Nick Khan, WWE’s president, is also a key executive for Zuffa.

Already in camp for the Benn fight, it is unlikely that Garcia will be a regular on Raw moving forward, but it would be no surprise to see Hendry got his revenge at some point.

One thing can be said about the Liverpool supporters — they will get behind their players and their manager before a ball has even been kicked.

And the Reds’ new boss, Andoni Iraola, may not have yet had the chance to earn the endearment of the fans, but he has already been gifted his own chant ahead of his first Premier League campaign in charge of the Merseyside outfit.

The Spaniard earned acclaim in 2025/26, guiding Bournemouth to sixth place and European qualification for the first time in the club’s history. Iraola’s passion translated to the Liverpool fans during his first interviews as manager, resulting in a stadium-ready chant for the season opener.

Liverpool Fans’ Andoni Iraola Chant Lyrics

Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

The Kop have penned some memorable chants over the years for their most popular players and their new arrivals. An early draft for Iraola’s song took inspiration from The Kinks’ famous hit “Lola”. However, one well-liked entry, which has now been viewed over 1.8 million times on X, seems to have stormed into pole position.

Merseyside-based singer-songwriter Kieo has provided both the lyrics and song inspiration for the latest additon to the Anfield songbook:

No pasaran the pledge that makes us fight

Adelante is the cry amongst The Kopites

Let us sing for Liverpool tonight

Tune for Liverpool’s Andoni Iraola Chant

REUTERS/Phil Noble via Action Images

Kieo has earned a solid following on Merseyside, regularly performing in and around Anfield, but he may just be about to write himself into Anfield folklore should his viral chant gain traction heading into the new Premier League season.

The singer-songwriter’s lyrics are set to “Viva la Quinta Brigada” by Irish folk artist Christy Moore. When translated into English, the song’s title means “Long live the Fifth Brigade.” The original track pays tribute to the brave Irish citizens who volunteered to help Spain in their war against General Franco’s fascist regime during the Civil War in the 1930s.

The inspiration behind the chant bears resemblance to another Liverpool cult figure’s chant. Federico Chiesa’s anthem is also set to an anti-fascist song, “Bella Ciao”, which provides a good omen ahead of Iraola’s first campaign.

But the anti-fascist element has a deeper meaning that will surely resonate with the Liverpool manager. Iraola hails from the Basque Country, a region which was strongly targeted by Franco due to its unique cultural language and identity.

Raised in a distinct region of Spain, Iraola’s upbringing is likely to resonate with Liverpool both as a club and a city. The maritime city is well known for its left-wing values and working-class identity. Athletic Bilbao, the Basque Country club Iraola made 510 appearances for, famously prioritise local academy prospects over global scouting, only signing and fielding players who have a Basque Country connection.

Other Andoni Iraola Chants

REUTERS/Peter Powell

Liverpool have more than a few Spanish greats lining the pages of its history books and the supporters have already adapted one of their cult Spanish players’ songs for the new manager. The classic “He drinks Sangria” melody, originally adapted for Champions League winner Luis Garcia, has found new life as an Iraola chant. The new lyrics make reference to the manager’s move from Bournemouth and his pressing style of play.

A quicker-paced chant has also been making the rounds on TikTok and is sure to be on the lips of supporters if Liverpool find themselves returning to greater fortunes this season:

Woke up this morning to the Reds on top, A forty-yarder flying into the Kop, Who’s the man that makes us play? I-RA-O-LA!