FRISCO, Texas – One of the biggest stories of 2014 for FC Dallas has been the explosion of Fabian Castillo onto the scene.
The young Colombian had shown flashes of brilliance in his previous three seasons, but the consistency that eludes many young players also eluded Castillo. That is, until this year.
One of the best examples of his newfound maturity was his response to the injury he suffered in a Sept. 20 match against the LA Galaxy that kept him out of three games. When he returned Sunday against the Galaxy he not only played a full 90 minutes, perhaps dangerously given his recently-healed hamstring, but also scored the game-winner to put FCD in the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since the 2011 season.
“Fabian has proven to his teammates that he is committed with the way we want to play,” said head coach Oscar Pareja. “His confidence has been raised tremendously this year. He feels more outgoing with his players.”
The goal gave Castillo a career-high 10 on the season. Castillo, who has represented Colombia at the U-18 and U-20 levels, is focused on excelling for his club team, especially as they go into this weekend’s game with the Colorado Rapids (3 pm ET; NBCSN, live stream at NBCSports.com) chasing Real Salt Lake for the third seed in the Western Conference that would allow them to forgo the Knockout Round.
The pressure only intensifies as they finish the season Oct. 25 against a Portland Timbers team gunning for a postseason spot in a win-or-go-home playoff atmosphere.
“I am still thinking his best form is to come,” Pareja said of Castillo. “I thought it was a great decision to keep him away from the Vancouver game [Oct. 4] and give him a little bit extra time. We had a player that is more eager to play.”
His excellent play in MLS has raised questions about his future and whether he will remain with FC Dallas, and also who he will play for internationally, as the midfielder is currently working on his green card and has expressed interest in representing the United States.
“I think he is in the picture for Colombia, for sure,” Pareja said. “I have received some questions from people in Colombia, who is interested in following him closely. [Whether he decides to play for the US] is a very personal question for Fabian.”
- Get the latest FCD news at FCDallas.com
Previously, reports had surfaced that Mexican giant Club America had shown interest in the winger. At the time, Pareja was confident that Castillo was focused on his play for FC Dallas and his production since has rewarded that confidence.
“My advice for him is you have to train well, you have to prepare yourself, you have to perform well, you have to be disciplined, and good things happen,” Pareja said. “For now, his brain is working with FC Dallas. It’s time for him to keep growing.”
