- The 'Pincha' midfielder played a vital role, scoring twice in the tie against Corinthians in the CONMEBOL Libertadores quarter-finals.
- He grew up immersed in the passion for football inherited from his father and uncle, and now hopes to become the second member of his family to lift the 'Eternal Glory' trophy.
Alexis Castro has taken a winding, obstacle-filled path to enjoy a present that now sees him play a leading role in the Estudiantes side that has reached the semi-finals of the 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores.
'Puchito's' earliest memories are associated with a football. He is the son of Fernando Castro, a forward who played for River Plate and Racing in the 1990s before moving through Argentina's second tier and gaining experience in Greece; and the nephew of José 'Pepe' Castro, the forward who won the 1985 CONMEBOL Libertadores with Argentinos Juniors.
He spent his childhood playing baby football at Estrella de Maldonado before joining San Lorenzo's youth ranks. He was subsequently released by the club, and it was his uncle who helped him join Tigre, where he made his official first-team debut.
His good performances prompted San Lorenzo to acquire his registration, but a lack of regular first-team football led to loan spells at several destinations: Defensa y Justicia, Tijuana in Mexico and Colón de Santa Fe. At the 'Sabalero', he forged a strong relationship with his manager Eduardo Domínguez — together they won the 2021 Copa de la Liga — in a partnership that would mark a turning point in his career.
He returned to Tigre without rediscovering his best form before moving to Uruguay to play for Nacional. In more than 40 appearances for the 'Bolso', he scored eight goals and provided six assists; numbers that backed up his arrival at Estudiantes at the express request of Eduardo Domínguez, who was the La Plata side's manager at the time.
With 'El León', he won two domestic titles in 2025: the Torneo Clausura and the Trofeo de Campeones. In 2026, he was given the opportunity to play in the CONMEBOL Libertadores for the fourth time in his career — and for the second time in an Estudiantes shirt.
He featured in every match, but his standout contribution came in the quarter-finals against Corinthians. In the first leg in La Plata, he opened the scoring in the 1-1 draw. In the second leg in São Paulo, he put his stamp on a stunning late goal to seal the Argentine side's passage through to the semi-finals of the continent's most prestigious club competition.
The Castro family has already had one member lift South America's most important club trophy. But Alexis wants to write his own story and shape his own destiny. Just three matches now separate him and Estudiantes from 'Eternal Glory'.
