‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 Reveals Dani Rojas’ Sister Maria Rojas and the Magical Casting Twist

Fans of ‘Ted Lasso’ have eagerly awaited a glimpse of Dani Rojas back in an AFC Richmond kit. While Season 4 has shifted its focus to the Lady Greyhounds, the show cleverly keeps his spirit alive. In Episode 3, titled “Richmond’s Got Talent,” viewers are introduced to Maria Rojas, the ambitious sister of the beloved striker, during an open tryout for the newly formed women’s team.

The reveal is made even sweeter by the casting choice. Paloma Cinco, who portrays Maria Rojas, is actually the real-life sister of Cristo Fernández, the actor who has played Dani Rojas since the first season.

Paloma Cinco, born Paloma Fernández, stepped into the role of Maria Rojas for Season 4, and the sibling connection to Cristo Fernández might not be immediately obvious to casual viewers. Her stage name offers little indication that she shares actual DNA with one of Richmond’s most cherished players.

Cinco has appeared in various projects, including ‘Womb Room,’ ‘No Translation Required,’ ‘De La Cruz,’ ‘Una Pequeña Confusion,’ ‘Nothing to See Here,’ and ‘Cuidando Rancho.’ Additionally, she cohosts a podcast called Fútbol es Vida with her brother and others, making her casting on ‘Ted Lasso’ feel like a natural extension of their shared passion for football and storytelling.

The timing aligns perfectly with real life, as Cristo Fernández’s own tagline of “Football is life” recently proved true when his soccer skills earned him a spot on the USL Championship team El Paso Locomotive. This notable turn adds depth to watching his sister join the ‘Ted Lasso’ family.

In Episode 3, AFC Richmond’s new women’s squad is scrambling to find a striker before their first match, prompting the coaching staff to hold open tryouts. Among the hopefuls is Dani Rojas’ sister, and the coaches immediately assume she will be a natural fit, given her brother’s legacy on the pitch.

Coach Beard tells her that football is life, echoing Dani’s signature catchphrase, and he gets visibly excited at the prospect of finding the team’s new striker in her. However, that excitement quickly fades when Maria struggles to make contact with the ball during the tryout.

The humor lies in the unexpected twist, as the coaches had built up expectations based on three seasons of Dani’s brilliance on the field. Instead, it becomes clear that Dani apparently taught her everything except the actual game he loves so much.

Rather than following her brother’s path as a gifted athlete, Maria delivers a significant twist. When told that football is life, she asserts that life encompasses more than just football, providing a small yet impactful moment of characterization for someone who only appears in a single episode.

This declaration opens the door for someone else entirely. Alice’s former teammate Gemma steps in to fill the striker position on the Lady Greyhounds, while Maria’s tryout concludes as a lighthearted aside rather than the start of a new storyline.

It’s important to note that this was never intended to be a long-term arc for the character. Maria Rojas won’t make the team or replicate her brother’s journey as the cheerleader and beacon of positivity, but her cameo serves as a sweet nod to Dani and to Fernández’s own athletic background.

With Season 4 centered around the launch of AFC Richmond’s women’s team, it remains uncertain whether any of the original men’s squad, including Dani Rojas himself, will appear this season. Behind-the-scenes photos from Maria’s episode suggest Fernández was present on set while his sister filmed her scenes, leaving fans hopeful for a proper cameo later on.

In an interview with Deadline, Paloma Cinco discussed how the role came together and her hopes for the character’s future. She found the script for Maria Rojas incredibly funny and expressed her willingness to be available for more episodes had the show desired a larger arc for her character.

Cinco also mentioned that she enjoys the idea of Maria leaving the tryouts inspired to learn how to play soccer, connecting back to the show’s broader message that it’s never too late to pick up something new. She appreciates the notion that Maria has inherited many wonderful qualities from her brother, even if athletic skill was not one of them.

For now, Maria Rojas remains a delightful one-episode character rather than a recurring presence, but the door has clearly been left ajar. Whether or not Dani himself returns to the Richmond pitch this season, it’s intriguing to see how the show honors his legacy through his sister in such a personal and genuine way.