Fabian Castillo will never forget 2015.
In a season that has seen him lead FC Dallas in scoring, earn his first MLS All-Star nod and poised to post career-highs stats in every major category, Castillo can add yet another accolade – Colombian National Team call-up.
“It’s great, really great. Every footballer at any club in the world would love to represent his country,” Castillo said after Saturday’s win over Real Salt Lake. “God has granted me this opportunity to play for my country. I am going there to make my club very proud.”
Castillo has been a part of the Colombian U-20 team in the past, but for his teammates, they’ve seen first-hand why the call-up to the senior team is, in their minds, long overdue.
“He’s probably the best player I’ve ever played with,” forward Tesho Akindele said. “He’s just an unbelievable one-on-one player and the way he holds the ball up for being so small - he’s amazing. He definitely deserves the call-up and I couldn’t be happier for him.”
In a week where Castillo said he and his agent had a conversation a few days prior about just how difficult it would be to make the senior team roster with the depth of the Colombian talent pool, head coach Jose Pékerman’s call was something the 23 year-old will never forget.
“It really caught me by surprise,” Castillo said. “I was expecting someone from the national team staff would call, but he called me himself, and it made me even more happy.”
After coming to Frisco as an 18 year-old in 2011, fellow-Colombian Oscar Pareja said Castillo joining the National Team shows just how competitive MLS is and is further proof that young internationals can come to the league and develop into top-tier talent.
“The call-up for Fabian Castillo is due to the level that he has in a league that is very competitive at this point,” Pareja said. “This shows that the perception [about Major League Soccer] is changing and that everyone is talking highly about the level here.”
And Castillo made sure to point out that his chance is a reflection of the trust the club has shown him over the last five seasons. Upon scoring the second goal in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat of Real Salt Lake, his 29th in FC Dallas red, Castillo kissed badge of the club that his name has become synonymous with.
“It was to thank FC Dallas,” he said. “I owe the club a lot. It’s the team that has helped me grow and it gave me the opportunity.”
