Christian Castillo (footballer)

Christian Giovanni Castillo Martínez (born August 25, 1984, in San Salvador) is a Salvadoran footballer. He was banned for life in 2013, for match-fixing while playing for the El Salvador national football team. After being banned, he played for Zeravani SC in the Iraqi Premier League, a league unsanctioned by FIFA.

Christian Castillo
Personal information
Full name Christian Giovanni Castillo Martínez
Date of birth (1984-08-23) August 23, 1984
Place of birth San Salvador, El Salvador
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2006 Telecom
2006–2008 Chalatenango 49 (3)
2008–2009 Alianza 34 (3)
2009 → Club León (loan) 15 (1)
2009–2011 Club León 19 (3)
2010 → D.C. United (loan) 10 (0)
2010 → Alianza (loan) 13 (2)
2011–2013 Alianza 53 (6)
2013 Suphanburi FC 9 (2)
2013 Luis Ángel Firpo 4 (0)
2014–2015 Zeravani 26 (4)
International career‡
2008–2013 El Salvador 47 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of May 12, 2013
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of September 7, 2010
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Castillo and the second or maternal family name is Martínez.

Club career

Telecom & early career

Castillo began his professional career in 2002 at the age of 18, when he signed with now defunct Segunda División club C.D. Telecom.

Chalatenango

After spending four years with the San Salvador side, Castillo then transferred to C.D. Chalatenango for the 2006 Apertura season.

He made his Primera División debut on August 20, 2006, in a league match against C.D. Águila. Castillo's speed, ball control and exciting dribbling skills quickly made him somewhat of a fan favourite, but his first season with his new club saw him play most games off the bench. The following season things got worse for Castillo when he suffered an injury that led to him only being able to play one game the entire tournament. After having to watch most of the entire season from the sidelines, Castillo returned for the following season. This time he was able to prove himself and was consistently part of the club's starting eleven. This season also saw him score his first Primera División goal; it came on September 30, 2007, in a league match against Nejapa F.C.

Alianza

Controversially, Castillo then transferred to Alianza F.C. for the 2008 Apertura season, after the then C.D. Chalatenango club president Lisandro Pohl left the club and took all the players that he had helped to sign with him. After much dispute, it was decided that Castillo and the other players that Pohl had signed were eligible to transfer and they all officially became Alianza F.C. players.

At Alianza F.C., Castillo continued to impress and most importantly improved his game to become one of the most, if not the most important players at the club. He scored his first goal with his new club on November 26, 2008, in a league match against C.D. Águila. After being released from D.C. United before the end of the 2010 season, Castillo returned to Alianza for the Apertura 2010. On October 21, 2012, Castillo played his 100th game for Alianza in their 2-0 loss against Metapan .

León

On 15 June 2009, Castillo was one of the three Salvadoran footballers signed to Mexican club, Club León on a loan basis, the other two were Rodolfo Zelaya and Julio Enrique Martínez.[1] On 3 December 2009, it was announced that Club León had permanently signed Castillo along with the other two Salvadorans with a three-year contract.[2]

D.C. United

Castillo joined Major League Soccer side D.C. United on loan for the 2010 MLS season.[3] On June 29, 2010, he was released by the club after a fall out over contract terms and left the club. He made a total of 10 league games with the club, and scored one goal in a U.S. Open Cup match against FC Dallas.[4]

Suphanburi F.C.

In February 2013, Castillo decided to try a big leap. After bittersweet negotiations with Lisandro Pohl, Alianza F.C.owner, he rescinded his contract calling a clause that allowed him to transfer to Suphanburi F.C. of the Thai Premier League, and signed a contract for one year with option for one more year, leaving Alianza F.C. in amicable terms.

After nine games, he terminated his contract and returned to El Salvador to sign with Luis Angel Firpo.

Zeravani SC

In September 2014, thanks to the Iraqi Premier League not being recognised by FIFA, Castillo and his fellow banned Salvadoran teammate José Henríquez joined Zeravani SC.

International career

Castillo officially received his first cap on April 23, 2008, in a friendly match against China. He scored his first goal for the national team on August 14, 2008, in a friendly match against Trinidad and Tobago. His second goal came almost eight months later on March 28, 2009, when he scored in a World Cup qualification match against the USA. His third goal came six months later on September 5, once again, against USA with a header above U.S goalkeeper Tim Howard.

On September 20, 2013, Castillo was one of 14 Salvadoran players banned for life due to their involvement with match fixing.[5]

International goals
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.August 14, 2008RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C., United States Trinidad and Tobago0–13–1Friendly
2.March 28, 2009Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador United States2–02–2World Cup 2010 Qualifying
3.September 5, 2009Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, United States United States0–12–1World Cup 2010 Qualifying

References
  1. Three Salvadorans join club León (in Spanish)
  2. "Sporting rights bought by Club León" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2009-12-12.
  3. Cristian Castillo signed Archived January 14, 2010, at the Wayback Machine - Behind the Badge
  4. Castillo released by DC United
  5. "El Salvador match-fixing: 14 footballers banned for life". BBC. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
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