El Paso Locomotive FC slipped a 10-second grenade into local soccer Twitter late Monday, dropping a short clip and scoreboard message teasing a "major" signing set to be unveiled at 9 a.m. Tuesday. The video shows a silhouetted player walking onto the pitch at Southwest University Park while a crowd chant of "Football is life!" loops in the background - the line made famous by Dani Rojas on the hit show Ted Lasso - as the ballpark board flashes "Bienvenido Amigo." It did not take long for supporters to start guessing that the club might be about to sign Cristo Fernández, the actor whose on-screen persona is practically welded to that catchphrase.
As reported by KVIA, the Locomotive posted the clip to social media Monday, revealing only the back of the mystery player and using the scoreboard to tease the 9 a.m. Tuesday reveal. The station notes that the audio repeatedly leans on the "Football is life!" chant, a not-so-subtle Dani Rojas reference that has supporter forums and timelines buzzing about a potential TV-to-pitch crossover.
He Already Had A Trial With The Club
Cristóbal "Cristo" Fernández is not exactly a stranger at Southwest University Park. Goal reported that he trained with the Locomotive earlier this year and logged about 30 minutes in a preseason friendly against New Mexico United. Goal also noted that club sources expected a decision on his status to follow that trial, which makes the timing of Monday’s teaser feel more than a little pointed.
Laredo Morning Times covered that half-hour cameo and the immediate local buzz around it, while El Diario NY reported that Fernández came through the Tecos academy in Mexico and has trained with squads such as Chicago Fire II. Those details help explain why his tryout was treated as more than a novelty act by club staff.
What To Watch Tuesday Morning
If Locomotive makes the move official at 9 a.m., the club is expected to roll out contract details and any corresponding roster moves across its channels. The teaser video ran on the scoreboard at Southwest University Park, the team’s downtown home, and the club posts stadium and ticket information on its site, El Paso Locomotive FC. As of Monday night, the club had not attached a name to the mystery signing, so Tuesday’s announcement should finally answer the question on every Locos fan’s mind: Is the Ted Lasso star officially suiting up for El Paso?
