Cristian Castells

{{short description|Spanish footballer (born 1984)|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Cristian Castells

| image =

| fullname = Cristian Castells Ortega

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|10|19|df=y}}

| birth_place = Sueca, Spain

| height = {{height|m=1.89}}

| position = Centre-back

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 1994–1998 | youthclubs1 = Sueca

| youthyears2 = 1998–2003 | youthclubs2 = Valencia

| years1 = 2003–2007 | clubs1 = Valencia B | caps1 = 37 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2004–2005 | clubs2 = → Eldense (loan) | caps2 = | goals2 =

| years3 = 2005–2006 | clubs3 = → Villajoyosa (loan) | caps3 = 23 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2007–2008 | clubs4 = Poli Ejido | caps4 = 30 | goals4 = 3

| years5 = 2008–2009 | clubs5 = Alicante | caps5 = 28 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2009–2010 | clubs6 = Alavés | caps6 = 31 | goals6 = 2

| years7 = 2010–2011 | clubs7 = Melilla | caps7 = 15 | goals7 = 1

| years8 = 2011 | clubs8 = Pontevedra | caps8 = 14 | goals8 = 1

| years9 = 2011–2013 | clubs9 = Burgos | caps9 = 58 | goals9 = 4

| years10 = 2013 | clubs10 = Platanias | caps10 = 4 | goals10 = 0

| years11 = 2014 | clubs11 = Cullera | caps11 = 20 | goals11 = 1

| years12 = 2014–2015 | clubs12 = Terracina | caps12 = | goals12 =

| years13 = 2015 | clubs13 = Sueca | caps13 = 1 | goals13 = 0

| years14 = 2015–2016 | clubs14 = Recambios Colón | caps14 = 5 | goals14 = 0

| years15 = 2016 | clubs15 = Ceahlăul | caps15 = 10 | goals15 = 0

| years16 = 2016 | clubs16 = Derry City | caps16 = 3 | goals16 = 0

| years17 = 2016–2018 | clubs17 = Torre Levante | caps17 = 60 | goals17 = 5

| years18 = 2018–2020 | clubs18 = Carcaixent | caps18 = 41 | goals18 = 0

| years19 = 2020–2021 | clubs19 = Independiente Alicante | caps19 = 24 | goals19 = 3

| years20 = 2021–2022 | clubs20 = Jávea | caps20 = 18 | goals20 = 0

| years21 = 2022 | clubs21 = Carcaixent | caps21 = 7 | goals21 = 0

| totalcaps = 429 | totalgoals = 20

| manageryears1 = 2018 | managerclubs1 = Torre Levante

| club-update = 14:50, 16 December 2022 (UTC)

| nationalteam-update =

}}

Cristian Castells Ortega (born 19 October 1984) is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central defender.

Club career

Castells was born in Sueca, Valencia. An unsuccessful youth graduate of Valencia CF, he spent most of his career in the Segunda División B, also having Segunda División spells with Polideportivo Ejido[http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/2007/07/25/pagina-31/1416495/pdf.html# Triple presentación del Poli (Triple Poli presentation)]; Mundo Deportivo, 25 July 2007 (in Spanish) and Alicante CF,[http://archivo.marca.com/edicion/marca/futbol/2a_division/alicante/es/desarrollo/1150823.html Cristian Castells nuevo fichaje del Alicante (Cristian Castells new Alicante signing)]; Marca, 28 July 2008 (in Spanish) both ended in relegation.[https://www.ideal.es/granada/20080608/deportes/poli-ejido/poli-firma-descenso-200806082037.html El Poli firma el descenso (Poli sign relegation)]; Ideal, 8 June 2008 (in Spanish)[https://www.europasur.es/deportes/descenso-Alicante-convierte-billete-ascenso_0_266973848.html El descenso del Alicante convierte a su filial en un billete hacia el ascenso (Alicante's relegation turns their reserves into ticket for promotion)]; Europa Sur, 9 June 2009 (in Spanish)

Midway through the 2012–13 season, at already 28, Castells had his first top-flight experience, when he signed for Platanias F.C. in the Super League Greece.[https://www.lasprovincias.es/v/20130124/ribera-costera/cristian-castells-ficha-equipo-20130124_amp.html Cristian Castells ficha por un equipo griego de Primera (Cristian Castells signs for Greece top-flight team)]; Las Provincias, 24 January 2013 (in Spanish) In January 2014, however, after only six competitive matches, he returned to his country and his native region, joining amateurs CF Cullera.[http://www.e6d.es/noticias/marc-castells-el-sueca-es-un-club-historico-y-espero-que-vuelva-pronto-a-tercera#ad-image-0 Marc Castells: “El Sueca es un club histórico y espero que vuelva pronto a Tercera” (Marc Castells: "Sueca is an historical club and I hope they return to Tercera soon")]; El Seis Doble, 21 April 2014 (in Spanish)

Castells rarely settled in the following years, representing Spanish amateur clubs and professional teams in Romania (Liga II) and Northern Ireland.[http://www.derrycityfc.net/2016/08/defender-castells-joins-city/ Defender Castells joins City]; Derry City, 13 August 2016[http://www.todomercadoweb.es/mercado/oficial-torre-levante-firma-cristian-castells-189859 OFICIAL: Torre Levante, firma Cristian Castells (OFFICIAL: Torre Levante, Cristian Castells signs)]; Todo Mercado Web, 17 November 2016 (in Spanish) Early into the 2018–19 campaign, he served as manager of CF Torre Levante in the Tercera División.[https://golsmedia.com/comunidad-valenciana/futbol/cf-torre-levante/2018/06/13/entrevista-cristian-castells-retiro-continuar-proyecto-torre-levante/ ENTREVISTA {{!}} Cristian Castells: "Me retiro para continuar el proyecto del Torre Levante" (INTERVIEW {{!}} Cristian Castells: "I retire in order to give continuity to Torre Levante's project")]; Golsmedia, 13 June 2018 (in Spanish)

Personal life

Castells' younger brother, Marc, was also a footballer. A midfielder, he also represented Poli Ejido, but spent the vast majority of his career in the lower leagues.