Beckham Castro

Colombian footballer (born 2003)

Beckham Castro
Personal information
Full name	Beckham David Castro Espinosa^[1]
Date of birth	(2003-09-12) 12 September 2003 (age 20)
Place of birth	Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia^[1]
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)^[1]
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	Millonarios
Number	11
Youth career
	Chiqui Orozco
	Academia de Crespo
	Estudiantil
	Aston Villa de Cali
2020–2023	Millonarios
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2023–	Millonarios	29	(7)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:53, 6 August 2023 (UTC)

Beckham David Castro Espinosa (born 12 September 2003) is a Colombian footballer who currently plays as a winger for Millonarios.

Early life

Castro was born in Cartagena, and is named after former Manchester United, Real Madrid and England international footballer David Beckham, as his father was a fan of Real Madrid.^[2] Due to his relatively unusual name, his footballing career was the subject of media attention from a young age, and in 2013 Colombian newspaper Q'hubo ran an article on him, despite him only being ten years old at the time.^[3]

Club career

Early career

Castro began his footballing career at Chiqui Orozco, a local footballing school in Cartagena.^[4] He later played for Academia de Crespo and Estudiantil de Medellín, also representing Aston Villa de Cali.^[4]

Millonarios

Having trialled with Brazilian and Portuguese clubs Grêmio and Braga, respectively, Castro signed a professional contract with Categoría Primera A side Millonarios in his native Colombia in December 2020.^[4] He finished bronze in the 2022 golden boot race at youth level, and the following year he made his debut on 22 March 2023, coming on as a late substitute for Fernando Uribe in a 2–0 league win over Deportivo Pasto.^[4]

Following teammate Óscar Cortés' call up to the Colombia under-20 side for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup, and an injury to attacking midfielder Daniel Cataño, Castro was given a run of games as a starter in the Millonarios side.^[5] Having been named in the line-up for Millonarios' Categoría Primera A fixture against Independiente Medellín on 20 May 2023, he latched on to a cross from Leonardo Castro late into the first half to score his first goal for the club in the eventual 2–2 draw.^[5]^[6] Three days later he made his Copa Sudamericana bow, starting in a 3–1 win over Uruguayan opposition Peñarol, and getting the assist for Jorge Arias' goal.^[7]^[8] He followed this up with an assist in the following game, a 1–0 win against Boyacá Chicó, before scoring his second goal for the club - the only goal in a 1–0 win against América de Cali on 31 May 2023.^[5]^[8]^[9]

On 3 August 2023, following a short absence from the first team, he returned to action in Millonarios' friendly win over Spanish opposition Real Zaragoza, scoring the first goal in an eventual 2–1 win.^[10]

Career statistics

Club

As of 6 August 2023.^[11]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			Cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Millonarios	2023	Categoría Primera A	14	2	0	0	3^[a]	0	0	0	17	2
Career total			14	2	0	0	3	0	0	0	17	2

Notes

^ Appearances in the Copa Sudamericana

Honours

Millonarios

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Beckham Castro at WorldFootball.net
^ Puerto, Guillermo (31 May 2023). "Video: Beckham David Castro contando la historia de su nombre. ¡Es por eso!" [Video: Beckham David Castro telling the story of his name. That's why!]. futbolete.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 August 2023.
^ Martínez Castellar, Juan Carlos (24 May 2023). "Así pintaba Beckham David Castro Espinoza cuando tenía diez años" [This is how Beckham David Castro Espinoza was painted when he was ten years old]. eluniversal.com.co (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 August 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Anaya, Lucho (22 March 2023). "Beckham David Castro, la joya cartagenera que debutó con Millonarios" [Beckham David Castro, the jewel from Cartagena who debuted with Millonarios]. primertiempo.co (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 August 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c Puerto, Guillermo (31 May 2023). "Beckham Castro, la sorpresiva nueva aparición en Millonarios" [Beckham Castro, the surprising new appearance in Millionaires]. futbolete.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 August 2023.
^ "Beckham David Castro marcó su primer gol con Millonarios frente al Medellín" [Beckham David Castro scored his first goal with Millonarios against Medellín]. espndeportes.espn.com (in Spanish). 20 May 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
^ Anaya, Lucho (25 May 2023). "Pidiendo vía: Beckham Castro se estrenó en Sudamericana con una asistencia" [Asking for a way: Beckham Castro made his debut in Sudamericana with an assist]. primertiempo.co (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 August 2023.
^ ^a ^b Marín, Javier (1 June 2023). "Beckham Castro demuestra la calidad de la cantera de Millonarios: cuatro partidos en línea con goles y asistencias" [Beckham Castro demonstrates the quality of the Millonarios academy: four games in a row with goals and assists]. espn.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 August 2023.
^ Caballero Villa, Carlos (31 May 2023). "El cartagenero Beckham Castro le da triunfo a Millonarios ante América" [Beckham Castro from Cartagena gives Millonarios victory against América]. eluniversal.com.co (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 August 2023.
^ Anaya, Lucho (3 August 2023). "Gol en La Romareda: Beckham Castro le anotó con Millonarios al Real Zaragoza" [Goal in La Romareda: Beckham Castro scored with Millionaires against Real Zaragoza]. primertiempo.co (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 August 2023.
^ Beckham Castro at Soccerway