Cristo Fernández will share his love of soccer in a new children’s book coming in 2026.
Scholastic will publish the actor’s Fútbol Is Life! / ¡Fútbol es vida!, illustrated by James Rey Sanchez,next summer, People magazine reports. The book gets its title from his Ted Lasso character Dani Rojas’ enthusiastic catchphrase on the show about an American football coach who takes the reins of a British soccer team.
Fernández, who grew up in Guadalajara, Mexico, played for the city’s Club Deportivo Estudiantes Tecos when he was 15, but his soccer career was cut short by an injury. He acted in short films before being cast in Ted Lasso as Rojas, a forward for the fictional British soccer team A.F.C. Richmond.
Fútbol Is Life! / ¡Fútbol es vida! is a bilingual book that follows Cristo, a young, soccer-loving boy in Guadalajara who learns to appreciate other aspects of his life after an injury leaves him unable to play soccer.
“I hope this book shows kids (and grown-ups) that being yourself—where you come from, your culture, your joy—is your greatest strength,” Fernández told People. “Especially in times when the world feels heavy, I hope it reminds families that staying open, trying new things, working hard and dreaming big can always move us forward.”
Fútbol Is Life! / ¡Fútbol es vida! is scheduled for publication on July 7, 2026.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
