Romeo Castelen

Romeo Castelen

Castelen in training with Feyenoord
Personal information
Full name Romeo Erwin Marius Castelen
Date of birth (1983-05-03) 3 May 1983
Place of birth Paramaribo, Suriname
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing position Winger
Club information
Current team
Suwon Bluewings
Number 14
Youth career
1993–1997 De Volewijckers
1997–1998 Sparta Rotterdam
1998–2000 Den Haag
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2004 Den Haag 83 (20)
2004–2007 Feyenoord 65 (20)
2007–2012 Hamburger SV 17 (1)
2009–2011 Hamburger SV II 5 (5)
2013 Volga Nizhny Novgorod 2 (0)
2013–2014 RKC 29 (6)
2014–2016 Western Sydney Wanderers 44 (9)
2016– Suwon Bluewings 5 (0)
National team
2004–2007 Netherlands 10 (1)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 November 2016.


Romeo Erwin Marius Castelen (born 3 May 1983) is a Dutch footballer who plays for South Korean club Suwon Samsung Bluewings as a right winger.

After competing in his country with Den Haag (four seasons) and Feyenoord (three), he joined Hamburg in Germany, where he all but failed to appear over the course of five years due to several injuries.

Club career

Den Haag

Born in Paramaribo, Suriname, Castelen started his professional career with ADO Den Haag, playing two full seasons in the second division. He made his first-team debut at not yet 18, and contributed with nine goals in 24 games in 2002–03 as the club returned to the Eredivisie, as champions.

Castelen made his top level debut on 16 August 2003, in a 0–1 away loss against RKC Waalwijk. He only missed six matches during the campaign as The Hague side narrowly avoided relegation (15th position).

Feyenoord

Castelen in 2007.

Castelen moved to Feyenoord for 2004–05, making his official debut for his new team on 15 August and scoring a brace in a 6–1 home win against De Graafschap. He netted 19 goals in his first two years with the Rotterdam side combined, as it finished fourth and third respectively.

Together with Salomon Kalou and Dirk Kuyt, Castelen was part of an efficient Feyenoord attack.[1] He only appeared in 23 contests in his second year however, due to injury.

Castelen could only amass 12 league matches in 2006–07 due to an ankle ailment, as Feyenoord finished in seventh position. On 22 April 2007 he scored his only game of the season, in a 1–1 home draw against NEC Nijmegen.

Hamburger SV

Castelen was declared fit prior to the start of the 2007–08 campaign, with his contract expiring at the end of that season. He was offered a new deal, but declined to sign it after deeming his future at the club as not very bright due to its recent results. However, when players like Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Kevin Hofland and Roy Makaay were signed, he reconsidered, but eventually agreed on terms with Hamburger SV from Germany in late July 2007, signing a four-year contract;[1] he appeared in 79 official games for Feyenoord, scoring 21 goals.

Castelen made his Bundesliga debut on 11 August 2007, playing seven minutes in a 1–0 away win against Hannover 96. During his spell at the Volksparkstadion, however, he was plagued with constant injury problems,[2][3] and he was released in June 2012 after his contract was not renewed.

Later years

After nearly one year out of football, Castelen signed with Russian Premier League team FC Volga Nizhny Novgorod on 15 February 2013.[4][5] He was released at the end of the season.

On 3 July 2013, Castelen returned to his homeland and its top division, joining RKC.[6] Roughly one year later, he signed a two-year contract with A-League club Western Sydney Wanderers FC.[7] He participated with his new team at the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup, scoring the opener against ES Sétif in the fifth-place match, which ended in a penalty shootout loss after a 2–2 draw.[8]

In the 2015–16 campaign, Castelen netted seven goals overall. Three of those came in the final series' semi-finals, a 5–4 extra time win over Brisbane Roar FC.[9] However, on 5 May 2016, he was released.[10]

On 14 July 2016, Castelen signed with K-League Classic team Suwon Samsung Bluewings.[11]

International career

Castelen's solid beginnings with Feyenoord impressed newly appointed Dutch national team manager Marco van Basten, and the player made his debut with Oranje on 18 August 2004, starting in a 2–2 friendly draw in Sweden. His physical condition, however, denied him a spot in the squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Also in 2006, Castelen helped the under-21 team win the UEFA European Championship in Portugal.

International goals

Romeo Castelen: International Goals
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 30 March 2005 Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands  Armenia
1–0
2–0
2006 World Cup qualification

Personal life

In 1989, both Castelen's mother and sister died in the Surinam Airways Flight PY764 crash in which 15 Surinamese footballers lost their lives.[12]

Statistics

Club

As of 19 May 2013[13][14]
Club performance League Cup Continental Other Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Netherlands League KNVB Cup Europe Other Total
2000–01Den HaagEerste Divisie300030
2001–022874100328
2002–03249322711
2003–04Eredivisie28410294
2004–05Feyenoord301030704010
2005–06239002010359
2006–07121000021142
Germany League DFB Pokal Europe Other Total
2007–08HamburgerBundesliga1300041171
2008–0900000000
2009–1021001031
2010–1100000000
2011–1220000020
Russia League Russian Cup Europe Other Total
2012–13 VolgaRussian Premier League200020
Netherlands League KNVB Cup Europe Other Total
2013–14 RKCEredivisie00000000
Australia League N/A Asia Other Total
2014–15 Western Sydney WanderersA-League
South Korea League Korean FA Cup Asia Other Total
2016 Samsung BluewingsK-League Classic
Totals Netherlands 14840113903117144
Germany 1710051222
Russia 200020
Australia
South Korea
Career totals 167411131413119546

International

[15]

Netherlands
YearAppsGoals
200440
200541
200720
Total101

Honours

Club

Den Haag

Country

References

  1. 1 2 "Romeo Castelen vertrekt naar HSV" [Romeo Castelen to HSV] (in Dutch). Feyenoord. 30 July 2007.
  2. "Hamburg dealt Castelen blow". Sky Sports. 20 October 2009. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  3. "Hamburg's Castelen suffers new injury setback". Reuters. 15 November 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  4. Кастелен – в "Волге" [Castelen – To Volga] (in Russian). FC Volga. 16 February 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
  5. "Castelen vindt in Rusland nieuwe werkgever" [Castelen finds new employer in Russia] (in Dutch). Voetbal Primeur. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  6. "RKC gaat trefzekere Castelen contract aanbieden" [RKC will offer contract to sharpshooting Castelen] (in Dutch). Voetbal Primeur. 3 July 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  7. "Western Sydney Wanderers sign former Dutch international winger Romeo Castelen". The Advertiser. 19 July 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  8. "Setif sink Wanderers in penalties to finish fifth". FIFA.com. 17 December 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  9. "Western Sydney Wanderers beat Brisbane Roar to make A-League grand final after extra time". ABC. 24 April 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  10. "Wanderers announce player departures". Western Sydney Wanderers. 5 May 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  11. "<프로축구> 수원, 네덜란드 대표팀 출신 카스텔렌 영입" [<Professional Soccer> Suwon Samsung signed with Romeo Castelen ex-Dutch international.] (in Korean). Yonhap News Agency. 14 July 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  12. Vlietstra, Bart. "De klotenknie van Castelen" [Castelen's damn knee] (in Dutch). NU.nl. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
  13. "Romeo Castelen" (in Dutch). Voetbal International. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  14. "R. Castelen". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  15. "Romeo Castelen". European Football. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
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