Colombian striker Frank Castaneda, who was part of the Sheriff Tiraspol team that stunned Real Madrid 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu back in September 2021, has officially joined reigning Thai treble champions Buriram United as part of the Thunder Castles’ foreign contingent for the 2022/23 campaign.
A well-traveled striker, Castaneda has represented Colombian sides Caracas and Orsomarso prior to making his European debut back in 2018 with Slovak side FK Senica, who would later on employ Indonesia internationals Egy Maulana Vikri and Witan Sulaeman. Castaneda left Senica before the club signed Egy and Witan, though, moving to Moldovan titans Sheriff in 2020 as part of the Transnistria side’s vast list of foreign players.
In September 2021, Castaneda played 78 minutes as his Sheriff side stunned all of Europe by beating Real Madrid 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu in the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League group stage, a feat that was made even more monumental considering the fact that Madrid went on to win that season’s competition.
Sheriff’s fairytale European campaign saw Castaneda play 12 times and score twice in the Champions League, qualifying matches included, before the Colombian made one appearance in the Moldovan side’s Europa League knockout round play-offs.
After Sheriff were knocked out of Europe on penalties by Portuguese side Braga, Castaneda was off-loaded to Polish Ekstraklasa side Warta Poznan, where he scored four goals in 13 appearance as he helped Warta escape relegation and end the season with a mid-table finish.
Castaneda’s move to Thailand represents his first move to Asian football and his fifth county that he plays his club football at. He will be joined at Buriram by Guinean striker Lonsana Doumbouya, the former Thai League 1 top-scorer who made his return to the league after a few years away at China. A proven goalscorer, Doumbouya has scored plenty of goals for PT Prachuap and Trat FC prior to his Chinese adventure and he will be eager to pick up from where he had left off with potential strike-partner Castaneda at the Chang Arena.