Queen Deyna
Inspiring the next generation
Still approaching her peak years, Deyna Castellanos already boasts a CV which would be the envy of many.
At 14, she was top scorer at the Under-17 World Cup and, in the following edition of the tournament, an incredible stoppage time goal from her own half against Cameroon earned her a spot on the shortlist for the FIFA Puskas Award; awarded to the player judged to have scored the most aesthetically significant, or "most beautiful", goal of the calendar year.
Still too young to even have a driver’s licence, Castellanos then finished third among her peers in the FIFA Best Awards in 2017.
A move to Atletico Madrid would follow in 2019 and, after two-and-a-half successful seasons in the Spanish capital, Manchester City came calling.
Considering that football isn’t even Venezuela’s national sport, the meteoric rise of Queen Deyna’ (a nickname for the midfielder that comes from its rhyming Spanish translation, Deyna la Reina) at such a young age is perhaps even more astounding.
While incredibly proud of her heritage, she’s the first to admit that opportunities for young Venezuelans, particularly girls, were limited when it comes to the beautiful game.
“No, it’s not even close [to the size of football in England],” she replies instantly when asked about football’s popularity in her home country.
“Men’s football is not even the first sport in Venezuela, it’s baseball. Women’s football wasn’t even on the map.
“After we came fourth at the U17 World Cup in 2014, that is when we saw a change, and it was something that came more naturally for the girls.
“There’s still a struggle there, and it’s not as big as it is here [in England]. I don’t think it will ever be.
“But hopefully, they see me. I hope they can also make their own dream come true because for me it was a dream, and it still is.
“And I think I am very lucky to be here, and I just hope they have one person who is from their same country who is making their dreams come true every day.
“I hope they see that in me.”
““Getting a scholarship in the United States changed my life, giving that opportunity to other kids is just something I wanted to do."
Castellanos has put this sentiment into practice, establishing a foundation which aims to provide young girls from around the world with the same opportunities she was afforded.
Indeed, the Venezuelan’s pathway to the professional game was aided by a scholarship in the United States, where she would ply her trade on the pitch while also focusing on her studies.
For Deyna, that meant a journalism degree which she has since put to good use, taking on numerous punditry roles when she was in Spain and at the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France.
Her United States experience was, in her own words, the catalyst for the footballer she has since become, and her foundation, Queen Deyna: Educational and Sport programme, aims to make similar dreams come true for the next generation.
“For me, getting a scholarship in the United States changed my life,” she explains.
“And I know it’s so difficult for a lot of people to get a scholarship or to try pay for their studies in their own country. There are more fees [when they are] not in their own country.
“Giving the opportunity to other kids is just something I wanted to do because it was one of the best decisions of my life, going to college and living that experience.
“I just wanted other kids to also have that dream and the path that is always the correct path, for me. That’s why it’s so special for me, helping them.
“It makes me very proud, to be honest. It’s something that motivates me every day, trying to help a lot of girls have the same opportunity that I had.
“It’s changed my life and was so important for me to accomplish that and now to try to help and give something back is amazing and something I really love doing.”
While it was an unforgettable experience for Castellanos, her time in the States, particularly early on, wasn’t without its challenges.
In 2023, the midfielder’s English is close to flawless, as she discusses college, her foundation, and ambitions while at City.
However, it was a different story when a 16-year-old Deyna walked through the doors for the first time at Florida State University.
She said: “I think I was surrounded by the right people at the right time. It wasn’t something I was expecting. I had a good U17 World Cup, and the right people came to me.
“I had the right opportunity and didn’t even think about it. It was something I wanted to do, and it was always in my plans to have an education and play football at the same time.
“It was very hard for me. I didn’t speak the language at all, I only knew how to say hello and I don’t understand, so the first few months were very hard.
“I was only 16 when I moved to the United States when I started college. That was something very big because I was in classes and had no clue what anyone was saying.
“But I picked it up very quickly, my team-mates, coaching staff, professors all helped. It was very hard at the beginning but also one of the best experiences of my life.”
A particularly important area of Castellanos’ scholarship – and a major reason behind the motivations for her foundation – was the educational element of her college experience.
While Deyna’s focus was always firmly on performing on the pitch, she would be equally adept in the press box having earned a degree in journalism while in the United States.
As well as opening potential new horizons once she decides to hang up her boots, it was an important skill to nurture should her burgeoning career have been cut short.
She reflects: “I think when I chose journalism, it was because I was very comfortable in front of the cameras. I liked that kind of stuff.
“It came natural to me to pick a media career. It has also helped me a lot outside of football but also in some ways inside of football, because I was commentating at the last World Cup and everything.
“So, it got me a lot of places because of the degree and for me, education is really important and for my family too. That’s why I chose to follow also that dream outside of football.”
“There are so many amazing stories out there. Women are just amazing in general. We can accomplish whatever we want."
When joining Manchester City last summer, Deyna became the first Venezuelan to ply her trade in the Barclays Women’s Super League.
With former Fulham defender Fernando Amorebieta and ex-West Bromwich Albion, Newcastle United and Everton forward Salomon Rondon the only two other footballers to play in England’s top tier, the spotlight is firmly on Castellanos.
There is a considerable weight of responsibility that comes with that status, but it’s a pressure that Deyna, with a typical quiet confidence, welcomes with open arms.
Once again, her motivation stems from offering the next generation of Venezuelans – and young girls around the world – a role model on which to base their own footballing dreams.
“I think I already took that roll of opening doors for a lot of people in my country,” she explains.
“I had the chance to come here, for me, the best league in the world and by having that opportunity hopefully a lot of my teammates will come here, too.
“Like the younger girls also because it’s amazing how you can grow here. That’s the hope.
“There are so many amazing stories out there, and women are just amazing in general.
“We can accomplish whatever we want.”
Built with Shorthand