Deyna Castellanos Bio
Deyna Cristina Castellanos Naujenis (born 18 April 1999) is a Venezuelan professional footballer who plays as a forward for Portland Thorns FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the Venezuela national team. A standout scorer since her teenage years, she is widely regarded as one of the most influential players in the history of Venezuelan women’s football. In her home country, she is popularly known as Reina Deyna, meaning Queen Deyna.
Castellanos first gained international attention as a teenager at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, where her goal-scoring set records that still stand. After a celebrated college career in the United States, she moved to Europe to play for two of the most respected clubs in the women’s game before returning to the NWSL. Off the pitch, she runs a foundation that promotes gender equality and helps provide football scholarships for South American girls.
Early Life and Background
Deyna Cristina Castellanos Naujenis was born on 18 April 1999 in Maracay, a city in northern Venezuela near the Caribbean coast. Growing up in a country where opportunities for young female footballers were limited, she developed her game in informal settings before entering a more structured academy environment. Her early promise on the pitch quickly outpaced what was available to her locally, setting the stage for a move into one of Venezuela’s most recognized youth football schools.
She trained at the Escuela de Fútbol Juan Arango from 2013 to 2016, a youth academy named after the famous Venezuelan winger of the same name. The school gave her access to better coaching, regular competition, and a clearer pathway toward the national youth teams. It was during this period that she was first called up to represent Venezuela at the under-17 level, beginning a long run with the country’s age-group and senior squads.
Path to Soccer
Castellanos’s path toward professional soccer accelerated rapidly through Venezuela’s youth national teams. In 2014, she was a member of the Venezuela U-17 squad that finished fourth at the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and was runner-up at the 2014 Women’s Youth Olympic football tournament. She won the Golden Boot at the U-17 World Cup with six goals, equaling her teammate Gabriela García, and scored seven goals at the Youth Olympics. Two years later, she finished as the top scorer of the 2016 South American Under-17 Women’s Football Championship with 12 goals.
By the end of her youth career, she had become the all-time leading scorer of the Venezuela U-17 women’s team with 35 goals and the all-time leading scorer of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup with 11 goals. In January 2018, she was called up to the Venezuela U-20 team for the 2018 South American Under-20 Women’s Football Championship, where she was the only player to score in the group stage with three goals. The same year, she made her senior debut at the 2018 Copa América Femenina.
Deyna Castellanos Career
College Career (2016–2019)
Castellanos was awarded a scholarship to study journalism and play football at Florida State University, an experience she has described as life-changing. She spent three college years with the Florida State Seminoles, scoring 48 goals in 82 total appearances. Her performances in the Atlantic Coast Conference established her as one of the top college players in the country and made her a central figure in the U.S. college game.
At Florida State, she also learned English and became bilingual, a skill that would later help her in international media work and club transitions across Europe and the United States. Her college years laid the foundation for both her playing style and her public profile, blending strong finishing with a willingness to speak on broader issues in women’s sports.
Atlético Madrid (2020–2022)
After leaving Florida State, Castellanos elected not to enter her name into the 2020 NWSL College Draft, citing the limited player autonomy afforded by the system. Instead, she signed her first professional contract with Spanish club Atlético Madrid on 2 January 2020, inking a two-year deal. The move made her one of the most visible South American players in European club football at the time.
Her spell in Spain gave her top-level experience in Primera División and the UEFA Women’s Champions League, and it helped her refine her game against elite European competition. The two years at Atlético Madrid positioned her for a marquee move to England when her contract expired.
Manchester City (2022–2024)
At the end of her Atlético Madrid contract, Castellanos moved to English club Manchester City in the Women’s Super League, signing a three-year contract on 3 June 2022. She was described as the marquee signing during a high-turnover summer for the club. She made her Manchester City debut on 18 August 2022, scoring a penalty in the 89th minute during a 6–0 Champions League win against Kazakhstani side Tomaris-Turan. On 18 September 2022, she made her WSL debut, coming on in the 70th minute during a 4–3 defeat by Aston Villa.
Her time in Manchester exposed her to one of the most demanding domestic leagues in the world and connected her with elite coaching staff and teammates. The experience further sharpened her movement off the ball and her ability to operate in tight spaces against physical defenders.
Bay FC (2024)
On 26 January 2024, Castellanos was acquired by new NWSL expansion franchise Bay FC for a transfer fee. The move marked her return to the United States and to the league she had once chosen not to enter through the draft. In the 2024 season, she appeared in 20 matches, started 12, and scored 2 goals as Bay FC adjusted to life as a first-year club.
Portland Thorns (2025–Present)
On 23 January 2025, Bay FC announced that they had bought out the remainder of her contract, making her a free agent. The next day, Castellanos was acquired by NWSL team Portland Thorns FC and signed to a two-year contract with a club option. She made her Thorns debut in the league’s season-opener, starting and playing 87 minutes in a defeat to the Kansas City Current. She scored her first goal with her new club on 22 April 2025, helping the Thorns beat NJ/NY Gotham FC 4–1.
Driving Style and Strengths
On the pitch, Castellanos is known for her sharp movement in the box, confident finishing with both feet, and a willingness to take on defenders in one-on-one situations. Her time in the Spanish and English leagues sharpened her pressing game and her link-up play, while her college background gave her a strong aerial presence for her 1.70 m frame.
Notable Events and Milestones
Castellanos’s career has been defined by record-setting moments at youth level, including becoming the all-time leading scorer at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. In 2017, she was named to the three-woman shortlist for The Best FIFA Women’s Player while still playing in college, a nomination that drew public commentary from Megan Rapinoe about the selection process. In 2021, at the age of 21, she was named captain of the Venezuela senior national team for the first time.
Deyna Castellanos Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Castellanos grew up in Maracay, Venezuela, where she developed her game in a region with limited resources for young female players. Details of her immediate family, including her parents and any siblings, are not publicly documented in the sources reviewed for this profile.
Personal Life
She is a fan of tattoos and, as of 2022, has more than 30. She is widely known in Venezuela by the nickname Reina Deyna, or Queen Deyna, reflecting her status as a national sporting figure. Public information about her marital status, spouse, or children is not available in the verified sources.
2025 Season Performance
Castellanos began the 2025 NWSL season with Portland Thorns FC after a January move that gave her a fresh start following her departure from Bay FC. She started the league opener against the Kansas City Current and played 87 minutes, signaling an immediate role in the Thorns’ starting lineup. By late April 2025, she had opened her Portland account with a goal in a 4–1 win over NJ/NY Gotham FC, an important early contribution to her new team’s attacking rhythm.
Her arrival in Portland paired her with a club long considered one of the NWSL’s flagship franchises, giving her a stable platform after several quick transitions in recent seasons. With a two-year deal in place and a club option beyond that, the 2025 campaign is positioned as a chance to re-establish herself as a consistent weekly scorer in the league. The early returns, including a debut goal in April, suggest she is settling in well with her new teammates and coaching staff.