Santiago Castaneda: Who is Paderborn's USA international midfielder?
A key member of a Paderborn side riding the crest of a wave after securing promotion to the Bundesliga last term, Santiago Castaneda is primed to make his senior USMNT debut in the coming days. We train the spotlight on the young midfielder...
Data correct as of 12 November 2026
Age: 21 (born 13 November 2004)
Club: Paderborn
Position: Defensive midfielder
Country: USA
Key stats
Born in Tampa, USA, to Colombian parents, Castaneda grew up with football in his veins.
His father, Carlos, used to play professionally in his native Colombia, while his mother is an ardent supporter of Colombian top-flight outfit América de Cali, who have won the national championship 15 times and finished runners-up in the Copa Libertadores – the South American equivalent of the UEFA Champions League – on four occasions.
“I started playing when I was three years old,” Castaneda told American Soccer Now in 2024. “I looked up to my father, although I have an older brother who is seven years older than me. He went through everything before me.”
Despite the encouragement and support of a football-mad family, Castaneda’s path to the professional stage was not an easy one. While playing for Tampa Bay United in the MLS’s youth league, MLS Next, he accepted a scholarship to attend Tampa Preparatory School.
Because MLS Next rules forbade high-school students from playing in the division, Castaneda made the difficult decision to leave United and split his commitments between his prep school team and Florida Premier FC in the Elite Clubs National League – a national developmental league in the US.
“It was a very tough pathway for me,” he recalled. “Growing up, all I thought about was a professional career. It was sad because I’m leaving MLS Next, which they say is the best league in the American system. But honestly, it was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life.”
Away from the spotlight of MLS Next, Castaneda’s game began to flourish. A man-of-the-match performance in the ECNL’s Florida National Selection game garnered the attention of USL Championship side Tampa Bay Rowdies, whom he joined in 2022.
After making his second-tier debut for the Rowdies in a 5-2 win over Pittsburgh, Castaneda was one of 17 players invited to represent a USA Under-19 all-star team at the ‘Capelli Sport’ Cup in Denmark. A string of impressive displays caught the eye of German third-division club Duisburg, who are co-owned by the American sportswear company and leapt at the chance to offer him a trial.
“The level and the pace was completely different,” said Castaneda. “The fourth day in, they brought me into the office and told me they wanted to offer me a contract. It was incredible.”
Castaneda hit the ground running after signing a two-year deal with the Ruhr District side. He made 31 appearances in the 3. Liga alone but was unable to prevent the club from slipping into the fourth division.
A number of other German teams were monitoring Castaneda’s progress by that stage. In summer 2024, he put pen to paper on a two-year contract with Bundesliga 2 outfit Paderborn, making 32 league outings in his debut campaign as the North Rhine-Westphalian outfit narrowly missed out on promotion.
Undeterred, Paderborn soon established themselves as leading contenders in the 2025/26 promotion race - thanks in large part to Castaneda's tireless displays at the heart of midfield. Ralf Kettemann’s side ended up clinching promotion via the play-offs, with Castaneda delivering an outstanding performance in the 2-1 second-leg win over Wolfsburg.
The young American has taken to the Bundesliga like a duck to water. He played every minute of Paderborn’s first nine league games back in the top flight, and opened his top-flight account for the club in a 3-1 win over Hoffenheim on Matchday 4.
In November, he was rewarded for his fine club form with a maiden call-up to the senior USMNT squad, ahead of the Stars and Stripes’ CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final against Haiti.
Plays a bit like: Tyler Adams
A tireless holding midfielder with a keen eye for a pass, Castaneda’s style is not too dissimilar to another American star who made his way to Germany in 2019.
Adams made 103 appearances for RB Leipzig in all competitions after joining from New York Red Bulls, featuring in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in 2020 and helping the club win the DFB Cup in 2022.
Adams moved to Premier League side Leeds United in 2022 but not before cementing his status as one of the finest American midfielders to grace Germany’s top flight.
Watch: Castaneda scores against Hoffenheim on Matchday 4
Did you know?
Until recently, Castaneda was open to representing the country of his parents at international level. “Colombia is still in my blood, and it’s a part of me as well,” he said. “When I was younger, every summer, I used to go to Colombia and be there for a month at least. Of course the Colombian national team is also in my mind and could be an option.”
What they’re saying
“I’m super excited. It’s special and very emotional. Being called up is a dream come true. I could hardly sleep after the news broke because I was so happy.” – Castaneda on his maiden international call-up
“Santi has become a key player for us in a short space of time. Despite his young age, he plays with remarkable composure, he’s strong in one-v-ones, and he plays for the team. He has made a significant contribution to our promotion to the Bundesliga.” – Sebastian Lange, Paderborn managing director for sport, in August 2026
“I’m excited for Santi that he has achieved his childhood dream of becoming a professional soccer player. If you work hard, have a plan and are not scared of achieving your goals you set for yourself, anything is possible.” – Novica Maric, Florida Premier FC CEO
