Fútbol Is Life! / ¡Fútbol es vida!, by Cristo Fernández/Illustrated by James Rey Sanchez, (July 2026, Scholastic), $19.99, ISBN: 9798225012274
Ages 4-8
If you’ve seen Ted Lasso, you know that tagline belongs to the one and only Dani Rojas, played by Cristo Fernández. Rojas lived and breathed fútbol – most Americans call it soccer – and his joy on the field was an absolute delight to watch. In this charming autobiographical and bilingual story, Cristo is a young boy for whom “fútbol es vida”. Forever attached to his ball, his mother claims that it is “stuck to you like bubble gum to a shoe”. Focused on his game and being seen by a scout, Cristo is a kid on a mission until he sustains an injury that sidelines him. After a period of moping, he accompanies his Abuelita to the market, where he discovers sights and smells he never had time for before and happens upon a new hobby: making tamales! The story is as upbeat and cheerful as Fernández’s famous character, with a love for the game feeding everything around him. The English and Spanish text are easy to read and make for a great readaloud in either (or both!) language(s). Back matter includes an author’s note and back endpapers include Fernández’s family photos.
In a life imitates art moment, Fernández has signed with the El Paso Locomotives to be a striker, and Ted Lasso is coming back to televisions in August! Add this to your World Cup booklists and watch your readers adopt the famous tagline. A recommended purchase for areas with sports fans.
Cristo Fernández began his professional life as a fútbol (soccer) player in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, until injuries challenged him to reinvent his dreams. With determination, he earned a BA in Communications and later an MA in Acting in the UK, dedicating years to study, discipline, and creating his own independent work to forge a new path as an actor and filmmaker. That perseverance led him to the life-changing opportunity of Ted Lasso, where in his audition he delivered what would become Dani Rojas’s now-iconic catchphrase—a moment that transformed the trajectory of both the show and his own life. From Ted Lasso to the new stories he is creating today, Cristo continues to bring positivity, joy, and global inspiration to audiences, while elevating Latin American representation around the world.
James Rey Sanchez graduated from the Academy of Art University with a BFA in Visual Development and
studies in Children’s Book IllustraHon. His work includes illustraHng the very popular children’s book Irving
Berlin, The Immigrant Boy Who Made America Sing.
Mom Read It 