Ottawa Signs Juan Castro, Atlético San Luis' Record Appearance Holder
January 17, 2025 - Canadian Premier League (CPL)
Atletico Ottawa News Release
Juan 'Coque' Castro in front of the Atlético San Luis fans
(Atletico Ottawa, Credit: Atlético San Luis)
OTTAWA, ON- Atlético Ottawa confirmed today the signing of experienced Mexican midfielder Juan 'Coque' Castro ahead of the 2025 Canadian Premier League season, on a one-year deal with an option to extend through 2026.
Castro, 33, is the record appearance holder for Atlético San Luis, the Liga MX side affiliated with Ottawa and the global Atlético organization, having featured 289 times across two stints with the club. The technical box-to-box midfielder played more than 120 times in Mexico's top division and scored 19 times for the club, lifting three pieces of silverware.
"We are really excited to welcome Coque to our team," said Diego Mejía, Head Coach, Atlético Ottawa. "His arrival provides our squad with great quality and depth, and his versatility has allowed him to excel in multiple positions. Coque has an outstanding reputation as a player with title-winning experience and the ability to make a significant impact both on and off the field. We're glad he chose to join us during this next step in his career."
Castro, referred to by his nickname "Coque", was instrumental in Atlético San Luis' rise from Mexico's second division Liga Expansion MX, previously known as Ascenso MX. He is widely regarded as the most important player in San Luis' recent history. Most recently, 'Coque' featured 23 times across the 2023/24 season in Liga MX and departed San Luis in July 2024.
Juan 'Coque' Castro celebrates in front of the Atlético San Luis fans (credit: Atlético San Luis)
"I'm really excited about this new challenge," said Coque, Midfielder, Atlético Ottawa. "Every time I step onto the field, I'm looking to grow and push myself further, and joining this club in the Canadian Premier League represents a new chapter in my career and life. It's an opportunity to adapt to a different style of play and continue improving as a player. The CPL is an exciting and developing league. It's clear that the league is growing in stature, and the level of competition is improving every season. I'm looking forward to being a part of that growth and contributing to the league's development, both on and off the field."
Coque's career began in Mexico's second division with Tiburones Rojos de Veracruz where he featured 15 times across two seasons ahead of his first stint with San Luis from 2013 to 2016. The following season he moved to FC Juárez for a year, playing 38 times and scoring one goal, before returning to San Luis to help them to promotion to Liga MX in 2019.
Atlético Ottawa's 2025 CPL Preseason Camp, Presented by WestJet, starts in early February as Coque and the rest of the squad will meet in Ottawa before travelling to Mexico to continue their preparations ahead of the new campaign.
Current 2025 Atlético Ottawa Roster as of January 17:
Goalkeepers: Nathan Ingham (CAN)
Defenders: Tyr Walker (CAN), Jonathan Grant (CAN), Amer Didić (CAN)
Midfielders: Manny Aparicio (CAN), Aboubacar Sissoko (CAN), Noah Verhoeven (CAN), Gabriel Antinoro (CAN), Alberto Zapater (ESP), Juan 'Coque' Castro (MEX)
Forwards: Ballou Tabla (CAN), Kevin Santos (POR), Sam Salter (CAN)
Additionally, Atlético Ottawa picked Cape Breton University's Jason Hartill and Carleton University's Adam N'Goran in the 2025 CPL-U SPORTS Draft, presented by Degree. Both players will join Atlético's pre-season looking to earn a U SPORTS contract for the 2025 CPL season.
Images from this story
 Juan 'Coque' Castro in front of the Atlético San Luis fans (Atlético San Luis) |
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Canadian Premier League Stories from January 17, 2025
- Forge FC 2025 Pre-Season Roster Update - Forge FC
- Ottawa Signs Juan Castro, Atlético San Luis' Record Appearance Holder - Atletico Ottawa
- Wanderers Name Giovanni Petraglia First-Team Assistant Coach - HFX Wanderers FC
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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