Deyna Castellanos

Deyna Cristina Castellanos Naujenis (born 18 April 1999) is a Venezuelan professional footballer who plays as a forward for Portland Thorns FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the Venezuela national team.

Early life Deyna Cristina Castellanos Naujenis was born on 18 April 1999 in Maracay, on the Caribbean coast of Venezuela.

Club career

Atlético Madrid

After leaving Florida State, Castellanos elected not to enter her name into the 2020 NWSL College Draft due to the lack of player autonomy afforded to her by the Draft system. Instead, she signed her first professional contract with Spanish club Atlético Madrid on 2 January 2020, inking a two-year deal.

Manchester City At the end of this contract, Castellanos moved to English club Manchester City, in the Women's Super League (WSL), where she signed a three-year contract on 3 June 2022; she was described as the marquee signing during a high-turnover summer for the club. On 18 September 2022, she made her WSL debut, coming on in the 70th minute during a 4–3 defeat by Aston Villa.

Bay FC

On 26 January 2024, Castellanos was acquired by new NWSL expansion franchise Bay FC for a transfer fee. In the 2024 season, Castellanos appeared in 20 matches, starting 12, and scored 2 goals.

Portland Thorns On 23 January 2025, Bay FC announced that they had bought out the remainder of her contract, making her a free agent. The next day, Castellanos was acquired by NWSL team Portland Thorns FC and signed to a two-year contract with a club option. She made her Thorns debut in the league's season-opener, starting and playing 87 minutes in a defeat to the Kansas City Current. Castellanos scored her first goal with her new club on 22 April, helping the Thorns beat NJ/NY Gotham FC, 4–1.

International career

Youth

In 2014, she was a member of the Venezuela national under-17 team who finished fourth in the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup and runners-up in the 2014 Women's Youth Olympic football. She won the Golden Boot of the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup with six goals, equalling her teammate Gabriela García and was also a goalscorer of the 2014 Women's Youth Olympic football with seven. She was also as a top scorer of the 2016 South American Under-17 Women's Football Championship with 12. Castellanos is the top goalscorer of the Venezuela U-17 women's team with 35. Castellanos is currently the all-time leading goalscorer of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup with 11.

Castellanos was called up to the Venezuela U-20 women's team in January 2018 for the 2018 South American Under-20 Women's Football Championship. She was the only player to score in the Group B matches with three, once against Uruguay, Bolivia and Chile. She was also the only player to score in the final stage, scoring once in a 3–1 defeat against Paraguay U-20 women's team.

Senior In April 2018, Castellanos was part of the senior team in the 2018 Copa América Femenina. She scored on her debut against Ecuador on 5 April, and netted four times in an 8–0 win over Bolivia four days later. In 2021, at the age of 21, she was named captain of the team for the first time.

Off the pitch

Castellanos started a foundation that encourages gender equality and helps provide football scholarship for South American girls. and in Spain. In Venezuela, she is known as Reina Deyna ("Queen Deyna").

Career statistics

Club .

International

Scores and results list Venezuela's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Castellanos goal.

Honors

Team Florida State Seminoles NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship: 2018

Atlético Madrid Supercopa de España Femenina: 2020–21

Personal The Best FIFA Women's Player nomination: 2017