Romeo Castelen

Romeo Castelen (born 3 May 1983 in Paramaribo, Suriname) is a professional Netherlands football (soccer) player who currently plays for Hamburger SV, as a quick midfielder with great technique and scoring ability. In 1989 both Romeo Castelen mother and sister died in the Surinam Airways Flight PY764 crash in which 15 Surinamese footballers lost their lives.

Biography

ADO Den Haag

Castelen started Romeo Castelen career at ADO Den Haag, playing in the Eerste Divisie; Romeo Castelen made Romeo Castelen debut in the 2000–01 season in which Romeo Castelen had three appearances. In the following season Romeo Castelen became a first team regular and also became a fan's favourite. In the 2002–03 season Romeo Castelen was one of the key players that made Den Haag clinch the league title and win promotion to the Eredivisie. Once there Romeo Castelen played another season as a first team regular at the club and impressed scouts from several clubs with Romeo Castelen skills.

Feyenoord and breakthrough

In the 2004-05 season, Romeo Castelen was signed by Feyenoord Rotterdam and secured Romeo Castelen spot in the first team in the pre-season friendlies already. In Romeo Castelen first season at Romeo Castelen new club Romeo Castelen would play 30 matches in which Romeo Castelen scored 10 times. Together with Dirk Kuyt and Salomon Kalou Romeo Castelen was part of the deadly and feared Feyenoord attack. Romeo Castelen stormy breakthrough at Feyenoord impressed recently appointed Netherlands national football team manager Marco van Basten. Castelen was called up for the team and made Romeo Castelen debut in the first ever match with Van Basten as a manager against Sweden national football team on 18 August 2004.

Romeo Castelen second season at Feyenoord was statistically even better than Romeo Castelen first. That season Romeo Castelen would score 9 goals in 23 appearances. The low number of appearances were caused by an injury that kept Romeo Castelen aside for several months at the end of the season. This eventually denied Romeo Castelen a spot in Van Basten's squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Romeo Castelen was however recovering from Romeo Castelen injury and missing out on the World Cup made it possible to be called up by manager Foppe de Haan for the Netherlands national under-21 football team that lifted the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship in Portugal.

After two successful seasons at Feyenoord Romeo Castelen third was disappointing. The club ended the competition in seventh position and eventually missed out on European football through the additional play-offs when they lost to FC Groningen in a two-legged clash. Castelen only appeared in 12 matches during that season as an ankle injury sidelined Romeo Castelen for the entire first half of the season as well as a part of the second half.

Foreign adventure

Castelen was declared fit prior to the 2007–08 preparations with Feyenoord, but only had a contract until the end of that season. Romeo Castelen was offered a new contract, but denied to sign this as the future at Feyenoord wasn't bright due to the recent results. However, when players like Roy Makaay, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Kevin Hofland were signed to bring Feyenoord back to life Romeo Castelen considered signing a new contract. Several clubs, including Middlesbrough FC, Paris Saint-Germain FC, AS Monaco and Olympique Marseille showed interest. Castelen however didn't sign a contract with any of these clubs and was considering to stay at the club until Hamburger SV showed up. Within a few days both the clubs and the player finalised the negotiations and a four-year contract was signed. In total Castelen played 79 official matches for Feyenoord (including cups, European matches and play-offs) in which Romeo Castelen scored 21 times.