The Big Interview: Deyna Castellanos

The Venezuelan superstar reflects on her status back home, her first year at Manchester City, her view on the World Cup and more in a rare interview with the South American prodigy...

Deyna Castellanos joined Manchester City last summer after a spell in Spain with Atletico Madrid. Image: Sportimage

Deyna Castellanos’s journey began just like many others who grew up in an era where women’s football wasn’t naturally accepted close to home.

For Castellanos, home is Venezuela, specifically Maracay, around 76 miles from the capital city of Caracas.

Growing up a relative unknown, just a random girl on the street, that little girl could never have foreseen the status she would go on to hold in her home nation when she discovered her love for kicking around a football.

“I just followed by brother,” says Castellanos, sat in the comfort of the City Football Academy, where she now plays her football for Manchester City. “He played football and my mum couldn’t leave me at home by myself, so I would go to his training sessions and kick a ball around.

“A coach saw me and spoke to my parents, that’s kind of how it started. In Venezuela, back then, it wasn’t something which was very common and for me it was always ‘a girl playing football? That’s not going to happen’ – well it happened, I’m here.”

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The now 24-year-old admits she has seen a “change” in Venezuela but adds there is a “lot of work for this to be normal”, and she is coming to accept the role she herself has had in changing the perception back home.

Because growing up the creative midfielder became a superstar in a nation crying out for a hero, amidst many issues within the country.

In 2014, Castellanos played for her country at the Copa America at just 15 years old. The same year, she scored six goals to win the Golden Boot at the Under 17 World Cup, and two years later in the same competition helped Venezuela to a semi-final, which was unprecedented for them in the women’s game.

At the South American Under 17 Championship the same year, Castellanos scored 12 goals, including the winner against Brazil in the final. The attention was so much that 40,000 turned out for the final, hosted in Venezuela, and a year later she found herself thrust into the spotlight further when she was nominated for the FIFA Best Player award, as well as the Puskas award.

Her nomination sparked controversy because Castellanos wasn’t playing at a senior level, and USA star Megan Rapinoe was among those to be outspoken about it, but the Venezuelan somehow managed to take everything in her stride as she continued to become a national icon on home soil.

“Now, I’m used to it,” she says. “But yeah, when I was younger and I would go back home it was very surreal. Not having that privacy, going to a restaurant with friends and having people asking for pictures. Walking the street, anywhere I go at least one person will recognise me.

“I feel it’s very important. At first, it was exhausting, but I know how to handle it and enjoy it. I enjoy being a good example for young people in Venezuela and that’s the main thing now.”