PROFILE | Brest’s Romain Del Castillo deserves his flowers | OneFootball

It is clear why Romain Del Castillo doesn’t get his flowers. Having come through the ranks at Lyon’s prestigious academy, it was a steady decline for Del Castillo, who nonetheless joined a Rennes side with European ambitions back in 2018. It was more when he joined Brest, a side that had narrowly avoided relegation the season prior, back in the summer of 2021, that he began to turn the tide and establish himself as one of Ligue 1’s most efficient but underappreciated forwards. There has been an idea that, given his pathway, from elite academy to Brest, that he is damaged goods, and then there is the age bias, which draws our attention to younger players, whose potential may be higher. Delivering on that potential is another thing entirely, and a graduate from OL’s academy, Del Castillo knows that better than anyone. 

But during Brest’s unlikely run to the Ligue 1 podium two seasons ago, Del Castillo was instrumental; no player in Ligue 1 registered more assists. Last season was a struggle on a collective level, but the Frenchman once again shone. This season, his numbers are exceptional, albeit slightly skewed. He has six goals, although five have come from the penalty spot. 

Del Castillo – the star of this Brest side

But his importance has never been confined to his goal output. He is an excellent crosser of the ball and he has a knack for finding his teammate in the box. He ranks first for crosses into the box and he ranks inside Ligue 1’s top 10 for expected assists. He also ranks third for key passes and in the top 10 for tackles won, evidencing his importance both on and off the ball.

It has always been said that there were never any stars in this Brest side, even when they were challenging at the top of Ligue 1 and facing the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona in the Champions League. But you could argue that Del Castillo is a star; his numbers are exceptional and consistently so. It is only his age and his pathway that skew our perception of a Ligue 1 stalwart. A regular in the GFFN 100, you wonder where Brest would be without him. He is no longer firing them into the UCL, but his goals and assists could help keep up a side whose ambitions – due to their financial situation – have been revised downwards. And their plight makes you think that there could – or at least should – be a club higher up the pyramid willing to take him on board.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle