July 7, 2026 • 9 mins
Amy talks with actor Cristo Fernandez, famously known for his role as Dani Rojas in the show Ted Lasso, about his new book, “Futbol is Life.’
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let's say good morning too, Christo Fernandez. It's Ted Lasso's
Danny Rojas and the author of a new children's book
called Football Is Life or Football es Vida. Good morning Christo.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Wella, this is Christophernandez. Yes from Lahaa.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Oh are you?
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Oh no, no, I'm hearing New York. Actually I thought
I was gonna do something now, but a partly I'll
do it later, right, but thank you very much for
having me. How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Great? So Christo. We know and love you as Danny
Rojas on Ted Lasso, but you're a soccer player in
real life and now you're also an author, so please
tell us about your beautiful new children's.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Book, which others Thank you, I appreciate you. Yes, I'm
very excited. My children's book is out now seventh July
twenty twenty six. It's been lots of art work the
last couple of years to make this happen, and I'm
grateful with with my family, my sister Paloma, my mom,
(01:10):
my dad, my grandma, my aunt, and my friends. It's
a book that I put so much effort and thought
and real life experiences of my own photographies of me
as a kid. This is this is me, Little Chrysto
from Guadalajara, And and yeah, it's based also in the
(01:30):
gyms our drawer, Ucate James ree Scientis. He's so talented
and I hope people people love it.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
It's a very sweet book, Crysto, and tell us how
it it's a children's book, but it really kind of
mirrors what happened to you in your life because it
talks about a young boy who loves soccer and his
whole life is soccer, and then he gets injured, and
that really happened to you in real life, right.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Yes, yes, and yeah. Little Crystal Alito, like his mother
used to say, always thought played eight, spoke about football soccer,
that the only thing he ever wanted to do, but
injuries made him realize that in life there's other stuff
outside of football soccer, and those other things in life
(02:19):
helped him become even a better football soccer player, a
better person, a better brother, a better everything. And that's
why it's based on real life experiences. I went through
existential crisis, sad moments, bad times, but with support of
my loved ones and hard work and discipline, I ended
(02:42):
up realizing that those bad things ended up being the
best things that ever happened to me, because it's football
soccer that gave me the biggest opportunities and my first
professional acting job in ted Lasso Dan in roseas football
is life and yeah later with them do you realize
about that? So that's why one of the lessons from
(03:03):
this book is that everything happens for a reason. And
as you said, it's a children's book, but I would
love and hope that grown ups really embrace and understand
this book that it's for them too, because children have
this quality that they don't care. They dream big, they play,
(03:26):
they mind crazy things, and they don't care. And that's
great and we grown ups should still have that regardless
of how old you are. You might be eighty ninety,
seventy sixty, you want to travel, you want to learn,
you want to study, you want to start. It's never
too late. And that's something I also did after the injuries.
(03:50):
I started completely new. Even now that I'm coming back
to pay football soccer. For some people it might be
that it's too late, but who cares. We all live. Well,
we'll run our own marathon. And I hope people understand that.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
I love that. And Christ, did you say that your
part on ted Lasso was your first professional acting job.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Yes, because before that I only did short films that
I always gave myself a role because nobody gave me
a role, And for over ten years, I always gave
myself roles. In studying communication, after studying my master in acting,
I only gave myself roles. And that's why I said
that I was an actor, because I only acted in
(04:34):
my own short films until Ted Last happened.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
I love that. Okay, Now then we want to talk
to you also about Football is Life, which of course
is the name of the book, but it's also what
you are just internationally known for because it's your catchphrase
as Danny Rojas, and that was not part of the
ted Lasso story until you walked into the room.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Well yeah, the phrase, it's a long story, but I'll
try and make it brief comes from my very first audition.
And in my very very very our very first auditions,
we had to not show and we had to express
our experience in football soccer. So in acting, you always
introduce yourself in your late and go like, my name
(05:21):
is Christophernandez if your problems and then I said, for me,
in football is life because apparently because ever since I
was a kid, I played and blah blah blah, and
they saw that passion in minds late and they put
that phrase and vibe into a character from Iceland named Gooner.
(05:44):
But apparently they kept me in their heads and they
they deleted the character Gooner and they made Danny Rogas
from Alasa Calisto, Mexico, which is me.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
I love that and christ Danny Rojas. That character is
such a joyful person except when he kills the dog,
but that's a whole other story. In life and in soccer,
he's joyous And are you that way too? Did you
bring that aspect of the character to ted Lasso?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Well, yeah, yeah, I think something the writers did right
and something I've learned from them from my own frouets
and storytelling that I'm developing with my sister fab Paloma
in our film company in Spectrum X Films right characters
around the actors, because then they become more believable. I
(06:36):
will be lying if I tell you that I completely
transform myself to play Danny Roses, because it's who I am.
It's it's I also love football soccer. It's the sport
that gave me so many great lessons in my life.
I will be lying because season one, season two you
meet a Danniel Robas that it's charismatic and joyful and
that's it. But in season three you realize that he's
(06:58):
very competitive and he can be aggressive when it comes
to the sport, and that's when it becomes a more
of a real person. And that's when I can tell
you that it's also me. I like to compete. I
get angry on the field sometimes I get passionate. So yeah,
we're the same guy both from Guerlata.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
I love that. So for me as a huge fan
of the show, it is a joy to watch you
on and off the pitch. And we're so excited about
your new book for you, I agree. I was going
to ask you whether you think that this book has
lessons for adults as well as children, and you already
answered that, so hopefully people will go pick it up. Chrisia,
what's next for you? Football is in your future too,
(07:41):
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Yes? Please join us in El Paso Tejas. We're playing there.
It's the second professional Division usual championship. I'm coming back
to the sport that I love and with my local
family because I'm a crazy man too, so I hope
you guys join us and support us. We mean the world.
(08:07):
Right now, we're in the middle of the season. The
season finishes October and when we get to the players
in the finale November. I also have my podcast Football
Is Vita with my sister Paloma and my friends Nnezatios
from Guallajata, and just keep creating stuff and opportunities for
(08:28):
myself because and I might be putting the acting on
the side for now, but also releasing our film that
we've worked hard for the last six seven years. And
also I hope this is a statement for all artists,
creators and entrepreneurs out there that I'm so grateful for
the opportunities acting has given me. But somehow I haven't
(08:49):
done a protagonist's role. And as I told you at
the beginning, I'm giving myself another role and showing that
I can be a protagonist in a film. And it's
an indie film that we showing well with lots of heart.
It also includes the talent of a very good friend
of mine, Tomjo, who did the music for our film,
So please please watch it. No Transition required also bi
(09:12):
lingual story because I believe in multiculturality and I believe
that we live in a multicultural world.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Absolutely, Christio Fernandez, thank you so much for your time.
The book is called Football Is Life, Football es Vida
because as you mentioned, it's bilingual. It's both in Spanish
and English. We wish you so much success and we
can't wait to see you on the pitch again. Thank
you for your time this morning.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Christo, You guys, is Amy aggressive to everyone listening.
Let's say good morning too, Christo Fernandez. It's Ted Lasso's
Danny Rojas and the author of a new children's book
called Football Is Life or Football es Vida. Good morning Christo.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Wella, this is Christophernandez. Yes from Lahaa.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Oh are you?
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Oh no, no, I'm hearing New York. Actually I thought
I was gonna do something now, but a partly I'll
do it later, right, but thank you very much for
having me. How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Great? So Christo. We know and love you as Danny
Rojas on Ted Lasso, but you're a soccer player in
real life and now you're also an author, so please
tell us about your beautiful new children's.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Book, which others Thank you, I appreciate you. Yes, I'm
very excited. My children's book is out now seventh July
twenty twenty six. It's been lots of art work the
last couple of years to make this happen, and I'm
grateful with with my family, my sister Paloma, my mom,
(01:10):
my dad, my grandma, my aunt, and my friends. It's
a book that I put so much effort and thought
and real life experiences of my own photographies of me
as a kid. This is this is me, Little Chrysto
from Guadalajara, And and yeah, it's based also in the
(01:30):
gyms our drawer, Ucate James ree Scientis. He's so talented
and I hope people people love it.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
It's a very sweet book, Crysto, and tell us how
it it's a children's book, but it really kind of
mirrors what happened to you in your life because it
talks about a young boy who loves soccer and his
whole life is soccer, and then he gets injured, and
that really happened to you in real life, right.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Yes, yes, and yeah. Little Crystal Alito, like his mother
used to say, always thought played eight, spoke about football soccer,
that the only thing he ever wanted to do, but
injuries made him realize that in life there's other stuff
outside of football soccer, and those other things in life
(02:19):
helped him become even a better football soccer player, a
better person, a better brother, a better everything. And that's
why it's based on real life experiences. I went through
existential crisis, sad moments, bad times, but with support of
my loved ones and hard work and discipline, I ended
(02:42):
up realizing that those bad things ended up being the
best things that ever happened to me, because it's football
soccer that gave me the biggest opportunities and my first
professional acting job in ted Lasso Dan in roseas football
is life and yeah later with them do you realize
about that? So that's why one of the lessons from
(03:03):
this book is that everything happens for a reason. And
as you said, it's a children's book, but I would
love and hope that grown ups really embrace and understand
this book that it's for them too, because children have
this quality that they don't care. They dream big, they play,
(03:26):
they mind crazy things, and they don't care. And that's
great and we grown ups should still have that regardless
of how old you are. You might be eighty ninety,
seventy sixty, you want to travel, you want to learn,
you want to study, you want to start. It's never
too late. And that's something I also did after the injuries.
(03:50):
I started completely new. Even now that I'm coming back
to pay football soccer. For some people it might be
that it's too late, but who cares. We all live. Well,
we'll run our own marathon. And I hope people understand that.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
I love that. And Christ, did you say that your
part on ted Lasso was your first professional acting job.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Yes, because before that I only did short films that
I always gave myself a role because nobody gave me
a role, And for over ten years, I always gave
myself roles. In studying communication, after studying my master in acting,
I only gave myself roles. And that's why I said
that I was an actor, because I only acted in
(04:34):
my own short films until Ted Last happened.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
I love that. Okay, Now then we want to talk
to you also about Football is Life, which of course
is the name of the book, but it's also what
you are just internationally known for because it's your catchphrase
as Danny Rojas, and that was not part of the
ted Lasso story until you walked into the room.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Well yeah, the phrase, it's a long story, but I'll
try and make it brief comes from my very first audition.
And in my very very very our very first auditions,
we had to not show and we had to express
our experience in football soccer. So in acting, you always
introduce yourself in your late and go like, my name
(05:21):
is Christophernandez if your problems and then I said, for me,
in football is life because apparently because ever since I
was a kid, I played and blah blah blah, and
they saw that passion in minds late and they put
that phrase and vibe into a character from Iceland named Gooner.
(05:44):
But apparently they kept me in their heads and they
they deleted the character Gooner and they made Danny Rogas
from Alasa Calisto, Mexico, which is me.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
I love that and christ Danny Rojas. That character is
such a joyful person except when he kills the dog,
but that's a whole other story. In life and in soccer,
he's joyous And are you that way too? Did you
bring that aspect of the character to ted Lasso?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Well, yeah, yeah, I think something the writers did right
and something I've learned from them from my own frouets
and storytelling that I'm developing with my sister fab Paloma
in our film company in Spectrum X Films right characters
around the actors, because then they become more believable. I
(06:36):
will be lying if I tell you that I completely
transform myself to play Danny Roses, because it's who I am.
It's it's I also love football soccer. It's the sport
that gave me so many great lessons in my life.
I will be lying because season one, season two you
meet a Danniel Robas that it's charismatic and joyful and
that's it. But in season three you realize that he's
(06:58):
very competitive and he can be aggressive when it comes
to the sport, and that's when it becomes a more
of a real person. And that's when I can tell
you that it's also me. I like to compete. I
get angry on the field sometimes I get passionate. So yeah,
we're the same guy both from Guerlata.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
I love that. So for me as a huge fan
of the show, it is a joy to watch you
on and off the pitch. And we're so excited about
your new book for you, I agree. I was going
to ask you whether you think that this book has
lessons for adults as well as children, and you already
answered that, so hopefully people will go pick it up. Chrisia,
what's next for you? Football is in your future too,
(07:41):
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Yes? Please join us in El Paso Tejas. We're playing there.
It's the second professional Division usual championship. I'm coming back
to the sport that I love and with my local
family because I'm a crazy man too, so I hope
you guys join us and support us. We mean the world.
(08:07):
Right now, we're in the middle of the season. The
season finishes October and when we get to the players
in the finale November. I also have my podcast Football
Is Vita with my sister Paloma and my friends Nnezatios
from Guallajata, and just keep creating stuff and opportunities for
(08:28):
myself because and I might be putting the acting on
the side for now, but also releasing our film that
we've worked hard for the last six seven years. And
also I hope this is a statement for all artists,
creators and entrepreneurs out there that I'm so grateful for
the opportunities acting has given me. But somehow I haven't
(08:49):
done a protagonist's role. And as I told you at
the beginning, I'm giving myself another role and showing that
I can be a protagonist in a film. And it's
an indie film that we showing well with lots of heart.
It also includes the talent of a very good friend
of mine, Tomjo, who did the music for our film,
So please please watch it. No Transition required also bi
(09:12):
lingual story because I believe in multiculturality and I believe
that we live in a multicultural world.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Absolutely, Christio Fernandez, thank you so much for your time.
The book is called Football Is Life, Football es Vida
because as you mentioned, it's bilingual. It's both in Spanish
and English. We wish you so much success and we
can't wait to see you on the pitch again. Thank
you for your time this morning.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Christo, You guys, is Amy aggressive to everyone listening.
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