For many of his profession, Santiago Castaneda has flown beneath the radar as a participant. However as a key participant for the present 2.Bundesliga leaders, the Tampa native is each prepared and honored to make his U.S. debut.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
November 18, 2025
6:55 AM
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FOR MANY OF THE gamers on the primary ever United States U-21 roster, it was an opportunity for prime prospects to stay engaged with the federation forward of the 2028 Olympic cycle or for these already current veterans of youth nationwide groups to stay on the radar of full nationwide group for subsequent cycle. Many of the gamers have been seen as prime prospects since their mid teenage years and have come by way of the nation’s prime conventional developmental channels.
Santiago Castaneda, nevertheless, is one in every of simply two gamers making his first ever U.S. debut at any age degree (the opposite being Gerardo Valenzuela). Now in his second season because the beginning defensive midfielder for present 2.Bundesliga leaders SC Paderborn, it was a call-up for which he’d been striving.
Throughout the camp Castaneda, a Tampa native, celebrated his twenty first birthday and as a late 2004-born participant, he simply misses the cutoff for the 2028 Olympics. However for him, this can be a distinctive alternative to get himself on the radar of the federation for both Mauricio Pochettino or whoever coaches the nationwide group following the 2028 World Cup.
“Since this is my first camp, it’s just kind of easing through it,” Castaneda instructed ASN from the U-21 group camp. “I am learning from the guys here and the coaching staff, getting feedback from their perspective, and meeting all these players. Hearing their stories and their backgrounds is something cool. Individually, I am just trying to perform well to show I’m capable of playing at a high level and maybe get an opportunity with the first team in the next cycle.”
When Castaneda arrived in camp, he was solely acquainted with Damion Downs from the two.Bundesliga final season, and Thomas Williams from his days in Florida. However he had no private reference to anybody. However he insists integration into the squad has gone effectively.
“All the guys are super nice,” Castaneda stated. “Most of these guys just came from the U-20 World Cup and know each other, but they don’t treat me like I’m an outsider or anything. Everyone wants to know more about me, and they ask me questions, and the same other way around. It’s a really good group of guys.”
Castaneda was knowledgeable of his call-up to the U-21 group not lengthy earlier than the roster was introduced publicly. He admitted he was stunned and was uncertain of the place he stood with the federation having aged out of youth nationwide groups with out ever having been invited to a camp.
When he started to interrupt out final season within the 2.Bundesliga, he was conscious that Paderborn had reached out to federation to foyer for his inclusion however was uncertain if that was going to guide wherever.
“Last year I had a really good season individually and with the team as well we came in fourth place just three points behind promotion for the Bundesliga,” he defined. “I talked with my agent and with the manager at the time at Paderborn and they said that they contacted U.S. Soccer speaking about me and I knew there was some connections there but I never knew exactly when I was going to get a call up or if I ever going to get a call up.”
What’s most placing about Castaneda’s improvement path is that it didn’t come by way of MLS academies, youth nationwide groups, or faculty soccer. As a substitute it got here by way of channels equivalent to highschool soccer, membership soccer within the Elite Membership Nationwide League (ECNL), and the USL academy degree.
When he was 15, he was enjoying for Tampa Bay United which is now in MLS Subsequent however was known as the DA Growth Academy on the time. However the sport was changing into a grind and he lately was supplied a scholarship to attend Tampa Preparatory College, a prime non-public college within the space. On the time, the DA had a rule that stated you possibly can not play highschool soccer together with DA soccer.
Ultimately, Castaneda opted to stroll away from Tampa Bay United in order that he may play for Tampa Prep. He additionally continued his membership soccer with Florida Premier SC of the ECNL which permits gamers to play with their highschool groups. In his junior 12 months, he led Tampa Prep to the state championship with a 21-0 document. In 2022, he joined the academy of the Tampa Bay Rowdies whereas retaining his eligibility for faculty.
“It was a very tough pathway for me,” Castaneda instructed Soccer America in a 2024 interview. “Growing up, all I thought about was a professional career. But when I was 15, I transferred to Florida Premier. It was sad because I was MLS Next, which they say is the best league in the American system. For my parents, education was a huge thing. It was a big decision. But honestly, that was one of the best decision I’ve made in my life. If I didn’t attend that school, I don’t think I would be where I am today.”
“It was a private, top tier school,” he continued. “With MLS Next or when it was called the DA Development Academy – it was getting very serious and the love for the game wasn’t as strong. Once I was playing high school soccer, I tell everyone it was just fun. There’s no pressure. You’re just playing for fun and you’re playing with the guys that you have classes with. It is not the best level of soccer, but it brought joy back to the game for me.”
Shortly after accepting a proposal to play soccer for the College of Michigan, Castaneda given the chance by way of Capelli Sport to be a part of a Expertise ID squad to play video games in Denmark. There he was recognized by scouts in Germany.
Whereas training was essential to Castaneda, he couldn’t flip down his dream {of professional} soccer – which additionally runs deep in his household. He’s the son of two dad and mom from Colombia. His father, Carlos Castaneda, is from Medellin and was a former skilled participant within the Colombian leagues. His mom is from Cali and is massive supporter of America de Cali.
Castaneda first signed with MSV Duisburg in Germany’s third tier. Regardless of the group’s struggles, he was picked up by SC Paderborn after one season.
At Paderborn, his profession has taken off. Final season, at simply 19, he earned the beginning job and performed over 2000 minutes because the group completed fourth. This season, nevertheless, beneath a brand new teaching workers, the group at the moment sits first and is carrying an eight-game profitable streak.
Whereas final 12 months Paderborn stunned many by being within the promotion race till the ultimate weeks, this season the membership and its followers are hopeful of having the ability to pull it off regardless of there being greater golf equipment within the league.
“For sure, there’s pressure for us,” Castaneda stated of the strain now on Paderborn. “I think there’s even more pressure for the bigger teams. You have Hertha Berlin, Schalke, Hannover, Nürnberg – big names that usually you will see in the Bundesliga. For us, being at the top of the table, not many people in Germany like it, because they don’t think Paderborn deserves to be in the Bundesliga. You see Schalke in second place, so a lot of people are happy about that – a big team coming back to the Bundesliga.”
“We don’t have quite so much pressure because our fan base, they’re really supportive,” he continued. “The media focuses a lot on those big teams. We’re under the radar right now. But we put that pressure on ourselves to stay on top of that table, trying to fight for promotion. We’re really united, the mood right now is very good, and we are hungry for more.”
For Castaneda, the following order of enterprise is concluding the U-21 camp towards Serbia after the group’s 1-1 draw towards Denmark. However at the same time as he returns to Germany this week, this camp has been some of the emotional moments of his profession.
“It means so much to me,” Castaneda stated of the call-up. “When I first found out, I was very emotional, especially with my family. I grew up with my mom and dad and my brother. And since I was a little kid, this is a dream that, not only for me, but for everyone else, that we always thought about.”
“I’ve always wanted to be called up,” he added. “I think this is the timing where I deserve the call up and I’ve been fighting really hard for it. It means everything to me, honestly. I’m able to play for Columbia as well. Either way, I was wanting a call up from either one. But growing up and being raised in Florida and America, this means a little bit extra.”
