Empire Lands Reigning MASL MVP Genaro Castillo

Attacking ace joins Strykers after standout season with Monterrey

Ontario, Calif. — The Empire Strykers today announced they have secured the services of reigning Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) MVP and free agent Genaro Castillo through 2026-27, pending visa approval. Castillo, who joins the Strykers on the heels of leading the Monterrey Flash to a perfect regular season record of 24-0-0 (wins-losses-overtime/shootout losses), promises to form a lethal attacking duo along with fellow Mexican standout and two-time FIFA World Cup veteran Marco Fabián.

Much like Fabián, the 31-year-old Castillo has enjoyed an impressive transition to the indoor game, as the most recent campaign was only his second in the MASL.

The skilled forward joined the Flash ahead of 2022-23 and recorded a solid 1.4 points-per-game average over the course of 18 regular season matches, followed by three playoff appearances that saw him turn heads with a 2.0 points-per-game average. Castillo would continue his rise to fame in 2023-24, playing in all of Monterrey’s 24 regular season matches and finishing as the MASL leader in total points with 50. As his team completed its historically dominant finish atop the Eastern Conference, the attacker contributed 32 goals, good for third-most in the league.

Castillo’s explosive performances throughout the campaign earned him a spot in the MASL Elite Six as well as the coveted title of MASL MVP.

“I am grateful to God and to the Strykers for giving me this opportunity to join the club,” said the Mexican star in Spanish. “I also want to thank the Monterrey Flash for providing me with a stage to show myself and for paving the way forward. I am very happy and excited for this new challenge, and I will give it my all so we can have a successful season and bring home the Ron Newman Cup trophy.”

A Monterrey area native, Castillo worked his way through the youth ranks of local giants Tigres UANL before becoming a member of the first team in 2013. After finishing runner-up in the Mexican topflight in 2014 and winning the championship in 2015, the up-and-comer appeared in the Copa Libertadores and the CONCACAF Champions League with Tigres, who subsequently loaned him out domestically to CDS Tampico Madero. Between 2017 and 2019, Castillo played for two more Mexican outfits in Tuxtla FC and Pioneros de Cancún, followed by a stint with Guatemala’s Antigua GFC in 2020.

“We’re thrilled to be adding one of the world’s top indoor attackers,” said Empire’s executive vice president, Jimmy Nordberg. “Among our main goals this offseason has been to identify veteran leadership and proven talent, which made signing Genaro Castillo a no-brainer. He’s a great team player who also possesses the ability to decide games on his own. Given Genaro will be paired with the league’s biggest star in Marco Fabián, our fans have a lot to look forward to.”