Jairo Castillo


Jairo Fernando "El Tigre" Castillo Cortés is a retired Colombian football player. He has played for a number of clubs in Colombia, Argentina, Spain, Cyprus and Uruguay.

Club career

Castillo started his playing career in 1994 at América de Cali, where he won the league title in 1997.
In 2000, he joined Vélez Sársfield of Argentina but returned to América de Cali after only one season where he won in 2002, another Colombian league title. In 2003, he went back to Argentina to play for Club Atlético Independiente.
He then had spells in Europe with Real Valladolid of Spain and AEL Limassol of Cyprus, In 2008, he joined Defensor Sporting of Uruguay.
Castillo returned to Argentina in 2008 to play for newly promoted Godoy Cruz, he scored twice on his league debut against Banfield and then on 28 September 2008 he scored a hat-trick helping Godoy Cruz to beat Boca Juniors 4–1.
Ironically, his improved form would only cause more heartbreak; being Godoy Cruz best player, he would yet again have an injury putting a major dent into his career. The next game, on 5 October 2008, away to Gimnasia, Jairo suffered a season-ending torn ACL after a hard tackle. Godoy Cruz subsequently lost their next 3 games.
In September 2009, after 11 months without playtime, Jairo Castillo left Godoy Cruz after his contract with the club from Mendoza expired, and joined the ranks of Millonarios, in Bogotá, Colombia. In December 2009 the 32-year-old forward Jairo Fernando Castillo Cortés moved back to Godoy Cruz after six months in Colombia.

International career

Castillo played 23 times for the Colombia national team between 1999 and 2005, he was part of the squad that won their first and only Copa América title in 2001.