Diego Castro

Diego Castro

Personal information
Full name	Diego Castro Giménez
Date of birth	2 July 1982 (1982-07-02) (age 29)
Place of birth	Pontevedra, Spain
Height	1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position	Winger
Club information
Current club	Getafe
Number	17
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2001–2003	Pontevedra	63	(14)
2003–2006	Málaga B	90	(2)
2005–2006	Málaga	2	(0)
2006–2011	Sporting Gijón	170	(39)
2011–	Getafe	8	(3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 November 2011. † Appearances (Goals).

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Castro and the second or maternal family name is Giménez.

Diego Castro Giménez (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈdjeɣo ˈkastɾo]; born 2 July 1982 in Pontevedra, Galicia) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Getafe CF as a left winger.

Football career

After starting out professionally with local Pontevedra CF (third division), Castro moved to Málaga CF, but spent almost three seasons mainly registered with the Andalusians' B club; in December 2005, he appeared in two consecutive home losses for the main side, against CA Osasuna (1–2) and Real Madrid (0–2).

After both Málaga teams dropped down a level in 2005–06, Castro moved to Sporting de Gijón in division two, being an essential first-team element from the start (20 league goals in his first three seasons combined - with the Asturias side achieving La Liga promotion in his third - six of them in 2008–09, as Sporting narrowly avoided relegation).

In the following campaign, Castro was arguably the team's most important player, as he topped its scoring charts at 10, four of those coming through penalties. Sporting again managed to stay in the top division.

Castro again led Sporting de Gijón in goals scored in 2010–11, netting one goal less. On 13 March 2011, after Nacho Novo gained a penalty kick in the last-minute of an away fixture against Villarreal CF, he converted it in Panenka-style, for a final 1–1 draw; the Asturians were then reduced to only nine players.^[1]

Shortly after the season ended, Castro confirmed his departure from Sporting as a free agent,^[2] signing shortly after for Getafe CF.^[3]

Personal

Castro's father, Fernando Castro Santos, also had a career intimately connected with football. He coached several teams in the first and second divisions from 1992 (notably SD Compostela), also working in Portugal.^[4]

References

1. ^ Nine men snatch point; ESPN Soccernet, 13 March 2011
2. ^ Diego Castro confirma su marcha al Getafe y se despide del Sporting (Diego Castro confirms Getafe signing and bids farewell to Sporting); LNE.es, 23 May 2011 (Spanish)
3. ^ Getafe complete Castro signing; FIFA.com, 10 June 2011
4. ^ Diego Castro y Fernando Castro Santos, duelo entre padre e hijo en Segunda (Diego Castro and Fernando Castro Santos, father-son duel in Segunda); Hoy Sport, 23 January 2008 (Spanish)

External links

• Getafe official profile (Spanish)
• BDFutbol profile
• Futbolme profile (Spanish)
• Transfermarkt profile

Persondata
Name	Castro, Diego
Alternative names
Short description	Footballer
Date of birth	2 July 1982
Place of birth	Pontevedra, Spain
Date of death
Place of death