Florida State’s Castellanos signs with Atlético Madrid
Deyna Castellanos will begin her professional soccer career in 2020, it just won’t be in the National Women’s Soccer League.
After a decorated career at Florida State, Castellanos confirmed Thursday she signed a contract with Spain-based Atlético de Madrid Femenino through the 2022 season.
The club plays in Spain’s top division in women’s soccer and also competes in the UEFA women’s Champions League.
“Glad for the decision to reach a leading club in women’s football and very excited to reach a dressing room full of talent and personality,” Castellanos wrote in a tweet on Thursday. “Already focused and motivated to learn and grow in this new stage.”
A 5-foot-7 forward, Castellanos was a star on the pitch for the Seminoles, helping Mark Krikorian’s side win a College Cup in 2018. She was named to the All-ACC first team in three seasons and was named ACC Offensive Player of the Year in 2019. She was also on the watchlist for the MAC Hermann Trophy — presented to the top player in college soccer — during three of her four seasons.
Castellanos led the Seminoles in goals scored during each of her four seasons. In all, she totaled 48 goals and 22 assists across 82 appearances. Castellanos owns or co-owns FSU records for most assists in a single game (3), gamewinning goals in a career (20) and most multi-goal games in a single season (6).
The striker is no stranger to the international stage. She has already been capped 13 times by the Venezuelan senior national team, scoring six times. Castellanos gained notoriety through her performance at a pair of FIFA U-17 World Cups, where she notched 11 goals across the 2014 and 2016 tournaments. In 2017, Castellanos was a finalist for the best women’s football player at the annual FIFA Awards.
Castellanos has more than 1.3 million followers on Instagram and would have been one of the NWSL’s more popular and marketable