Francis Castillo
{{short description|Salvadoran footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Francis Castillo
| fullname = Francis Antonio Castillo-Orellana
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2005|11|7|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Northampton, United States{{cite web |last1=Vinces |first1=Roberto |title=Francis Castillo con la selección Nicaragua Sub-20: Enfocado en la Clasificatoria Concacaf |url=https://www.wfmz.com/espanol/deportes/francis-castillo-con-la-selecci-n-nicaragua-sub-20-enfocado-en-la-clasificatoria-concacaf/article_3f9b8a02-ae5e-11ee-9119-c3350db39160.html |publisher=WFMZ 69 News |access-date=20 September 2024 |language=Spanish}}
| height = 1.80 m
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = Cádiz
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 2022
| clubs1 = Allentown United
| caps1 = 2
| goals1 = 2
| years2 = 2022–2023
| clubs2 = Esperança de Lagos
| caps2 = 0
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2023–2024
| clubs3 = Philadelphia Union II
| caps3 = 1
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2024–
| clubs4 = Cádiz
| caps4 = 0
| goals4 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2024
| nationalteam1 = Nicaragua U20
| nationalcaps1 = 8
| nationalgoals1 = 7
| nationalyears2 = 2024–
| nationalteam2 = El Salvador U20
| nationalcaps2 = 3
| nationalgoals2 = 3
| nationalyears3 = 2024–
| nationalteam3 = El Salvador
| nationalcaps3 = 3
| nationalgoals3 = 1
| nationalteam-update = 18:02, 10 October 2024 (UTC)
| club-update = 18:02, 19 September 2024 (UTC)
}}
Francisco Antonio Castillo-Orellana (born 7 November 2005) is a Salvadoran footballer who plays as a midfielder for the academy of Cádiz, and the El Salvador national team.
Club career
Castillo began playing football at age six with Lehigh Valley United. As a youth, he also played for Allentown United FC and FC Delco in MLS Next before joining the academy of the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer.{{cite web |last1=Vernier |first1=Isabela |title=18-YEAR-OLD FRANCIS CASTILLO ON TRIAL AT CADIZ CF IN SPAIN |url=https://www.soccertoday.com/18-year-old-francis-castillo-on-trial-at-cadiz-cf-2/?cn-reloaded=1 |publisher=Soccer Today |access-date=19 September 2024}}
In April 2022, Castillo made two appearances and scored two goals for Allentown United in the NISA Nation.{{cite web |title=NISA profile |url=https://nisasoccer.com/roster/francis-castillo |publisher=National Independent Soccer Association |access-date=19 September 2024}} At age sixteen, he joined C.F. Esperança de Lagos of the Campeonato de Portugal in August 2022.{{cite web |last1=Encarnacion |first1=Carlos |title=Daniel Paquete e Francis Castillo assina pelo Esperança de Lagos |url=https://www.ojogo.pt/futebol/nao-profissional/noticias/daniel-paquete-e-francis-castillo-assina-pelo-esperanca-de-lagos-15117075.html/ |publisher=ojogo.pt |access-date=19 September 2024 |language=Portuguese}} He returned to the United States and joined Philadelphia Union II of MLS Next Pro for the 2023 season. He made one appearance for the club, coming on as a late substitute in a match against Chicago Fire FC II on 18 June.{{cite web |title=Philadelphia Union profile |url=https://www.philadelphiaunion.com/players/francis-castillo-orellana/match-log/ |publisher=MLS Next Pro |access-date=19 September 2024}}
.
Later in 2023, Castillo was part of the International Soccer Academy team that integrated into the FC Schalke 04 youth system in Germany.{{cite web |title=Integrated Academy Team 2023/2024 |url=https://schalke04.de/knappenschmiede/u18-integrated-academy-team/ |publisher=FC Schalke 04 |access-date=19 September 2024 |language=German}} He had further experience in the country with trials at 1. FC Köln and Werder Bremen. Following a trial in 2024, the player was signed to the academy of Cádiz CF.{{cite web |title=El Cádiz CF refuerza su Cantera con la llegada del salvadoreño Francis Castillo |url=https://www.cadizcf.com/noticias/el-cadiz-cf-refuerza-su-cantera-con-la-llegada-del-salvadoreno-francis-castillo |publisher=Cádiz CF |access-date=19 September 2024 |language=Spanish}} Despite signing in March, the player was cleared to play for the Spanish club in August 2024 following a lengthy visa process.{{cite web |last1=Cerón |first1=José |title=Francis Castillo se incorpora a los entrenos de la cantera del Cádiz |url=https://www.tcsahora.com/francis-castillo-se-incorpora-a-los-entrenos-de-la-cantera-del-cadiz/ |publisher=tscahora.com |access-date=19 September 2024 |language=Spanish}}
International career
Castillo was born in Northampton, Pennsylvania, United States to parents from Nicaragua and El Salvador. He opted to play for Nicaragua in 2024 CONCACAF U-20 Championship qualifying. He went on to become the top scorer in qualification, tallying five goals and two assists over four matches.{{cite web |title=International Soccer Academy's American Player Signs Contract to Play in Spain For LA LIGA's Cádiz CF |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/international-soccer-academys-american-player-134600793.html |publisher=Yahoo! |access-date=19 September 2024}}
Despite playing for Nicaragua in qualification, Castillo was part of the El Salvador under-20 squad for the 2024 CONCACAF U-20 Championship. After missing most of the tournament through injury,{{cite web |last1=Benitez |first1=Jorge |title=Francis Castillo, baja para El Salvador vs República Dominicana |url=https://www.elgrafico.com/amp/selecciones/Francis-Castillo-baja-para-El-Salvador-vs-Republica-Dominicana-20240720-0010.html |publisher=El Grafico |access-date=19 September 2024 |language=Spanish}} he returned and scored in the team's match against Canada to close out the Group stage.{{cite web |title=Canada, Haiti punch Men’s Under-20 Championship tickets |url=https://www.concacaf.com/under-20s-men/article/canada-haiti-punch-men-s-under-20-championship-tickets/ |publisher=CONCACAF |access-date=19 September 2024}} In April 2024, he decided to represent El Salvador at the senior level.{{cite web |last1=Valiente |first1=Joshua |title=Francis Castillo: "Me dio lástima y me dolio lo que pasó con Nicaragua; escogí a El Salvador" |url=https://www.elgrafico.com/amp/selecciones/Francis-Castillo-Me-dio-lastima-y-me-dolio-lo-que-paso-con-Nicaragua-escogi-a-El-Salvador-20240417-0013.html |publisher=El Grafico |access-date=19 September 2024 |language=Spanish}} He debuted for the nation on 6 June 2024 in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Puerto Rico.{{cite web |title=NFT profile |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/95033/Francis_Castillo.html |publisher=National Football Teams |access-date=19 September 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Escalante |first1=Varinia |title=Francis Castillo debutó con la Azul mayor |url=https://www.elsalvador.com/deportes/selecciones/francis-castillo-debut-selecta-puerto-rico-cadiz/1147673/2024/ |publisher=elsalvador.com |access-date=19 September 2024 |language=Spanish}}
Career statistics
=International=
{{updated|match played 10 October 2024.}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan=3 | El Salvador national team | ||
| Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3 | 1 |
| Total||3||1 |
{{updated|match played 10 September 2024}}
:El Salvador score listed first, score column indicates score after each Castillo goal
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Francis Castillo | ||||||||
| scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Venue !scope="col"|Cap !scope="col"|Opponent !scope="col"|Score !scope="col"|Result !scope="col"|Competition !scope="col" class="unsortable"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="text-align: center;"|1 | 10 October 2024 | Arnos Vale Stadium, Arnos Vale, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | style="text-align: center;" |3 | {{fb|SVG}} | style="text-align: center;"|3–2 | style="text-align: center;"|3–2 | 2024–25 CONCACAF Nations League B | style="text-align: center;"|{{cite web |url= https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2024/10/11/nc-america/concacaf-nations-league/st-vincent-and-the-grenadines/el-salvador/4359302/ |title=Saint Vincent and the Grenadines vs. El Salvador 2–3: Summary |website=Soccerway |publisher=Perform Group |access-date=10 October 2024}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{NFT player|95033/Francis_Castillo}}
- {{Soccerway|francis-castillo-orellana/701315}}
- {{GSA player|francis-castillo/7910145}}
- [https://www.philadelphiaunion.com/players/francis-castillo-orellana/match-log/ Philadelphia Union profile]
- [https://nisasoccer.com/roster/francis-castillo NISA profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Castillo, Francis}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Salvadoran men's footballers
Category:Soccer players from Pennsylvania
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:El Salvador men's international footballers
Category:El Salvador men's youth international footballers
Category:Nicaragua men's youth international footballers