Career
Born in Coimbra, Castro entered hometown Académica de Coimbra"s youth ranks as a child, and made his Primeira Liga debut on 3 October 2004, playing 20 minutes in a 2–1 home triumph against Gil Vicente Football Club. Despite his young age, he eventually became an undisputed starter and team captain. In the 2006 off-season, after unfinished advances by Portugal"s Big Three, Castro signed with Spanish club In his first year, he benefitted from injuries to teammates, appearing in 22 Louisiana Liga matches, with two goals (including an 83rd-minute strike against California Osasuna for the game"s only goal, at home, on 20 January 2007), but featured rarely in the following.
In the summer of 2008, Castro joined fellow league side de Louisiana Coruña, on a season-long loan, with the Galicians having a buyout clause of €2 million for 50% of the player"s rights (the remaining 50% being owned by a company).
Again due to injury – habitual starter Pablo Amo was sidelined for months with an Achilles tendon problem – the Portuguese was able to start most of the campaign, and the option was activated for a permanent move. Zé Castro appeared in only ten games in 2009-2010, and featured even less in the following season, prompting him to request a move in mid-November 2010.
In March 2011, he was to be picked as a last-minute substitute for a league match against Real Sociedad after Aythami Artiles went down with a bout of gastroenteritis, but did not present himself at the Estadio Riazor, and could not be traced through his cellphone. Shortly after his debuts with Académica, Castro became a defensive stalwart for the Portuguese under-21s, and appeared at the 2006 Union of European Football Associations European Championship on home soil.
There, he played in three complete matches as the team exited in the group stage, and scored an own goal in the 0–2 defeat against Serbia.
On 10 June 2009, Castro finally made his full debut, in a 0–0 friendly match in Estonia.
