By the time Barcelona SC took the field against River Plate in early April, the most talked-about figure wasn’t on the pitch. Their manager, Segundo Castillo, stood just beyond the touchline in a full leopard-print tuxedo, daring the cameras to blink.
The 42-year-old coach—nicknamed “El Mortero” during his playing days for his thunderous shot—has become something else entirely in his new role: football’s most unpredictable fashion icon. And unlike other touchline stylists, Castillo does not dabble. He commits. Boldly.
What began as a quiet nod to European football’s formality—suits and ties, refined tailoring—has exploded into a rotation of garments that borrow more from red carpets than technical areas. Castillo has said his intention is not to draw attention, but to ease it. “I try to look good at LigaPro games,” he told Forbes Ecuador. “When I played in England, at Everton and Wolverhampton, we had a lot of activities with the team owners and we always had to be well-dressed or wear the suits the club made us for special events or matches. It’s a culture I developed.”
In Ecuador, where football is sacred and conservative dress codes remain the norm, Castillo’s approach has raised eyebrows and standards. But the most striking thing about his evolving wardrobe is not its novelty—it’s that it fits.
From leopard print to pink satin
His leopard-print tuxedo, worn during a Libertadores home match in Guayaquil, was a defining moment. The jacket and matching pants were accented with satin lapels, black shoes, and a crisp white shirt. On social media, it drew comparisons to rock stars and carnival kings. The Argentine sports daily Olé called him “a showman in every sense.”
Yet Castillo has never been theatrical for its own sake. When he showed up to face Corinthians earlier this season, it was in a cream-colored double-breasted tuxedo with sharp black accents. “Here, for us, the Libertadores is our Champions League,” he said. “So, I think you have to live up to the tournament you’re playing in, and also to the club and my players.”
He added, “I have to give them that presence and make them feel like their coach is OK. That’s important to relieve them of some of the tension.”
Weeks later, at El Monumental, where no fan was allowed due to a ban on home attendance, Castillo wore perhaps his most elegant outfit yet: a pale pink tuxedo, black satin lapels, and a copper bow tie. If the crowd was missing, the cameras were not. “I thought, this is the time to get a smile out of the boys when they see me leave the dressing room,” he said. “They all just smiled.”
They also fought for a 0–0 draw against heavily favored River Plate.
Dressing to lead
Castillo’s fashion choices haven’t distracted from results. They’ve clarified them. Barcelona SC remains in contention in both the domestic league and the Copa Libertadores. The Ecuadorian press has largely embraced his persona. “Castillo has imposed his personality,” said Esteban Ávila, a journalist with La Radio Redonda and Marca90. “His tendency to wear such striking clothing has revolutionized Ecuadorian football.”
In one match, he wore a black three-piece suit covered in grey floral patterns, pairing it with a red bow tie and boutonnière. In another, under the coastal sun, he opted for a tight black pinstripe polo—casual, yet unmistakably sharp.
He credits his wife with helping select the outfits. And he doesn’t worship at the altar of high fashion. “I don’t have a specific brand,” he told Forbes Ecuador. “If I like Zara or Calvin Klein, I’ll buy it.” He said his white tuxedo was tailored by a craftsman in Guayaquil’s Sauces 8 neighborhood and cost $400.
Still, there’s nothing accidental about his image. As Sarah Collins, a senior lecturer in fashion design at Manchester Metropolitan University, put it: “He says the players know they are being looked after when they see him in these suits, and maybe he means they see that he is taking everything seriously—right up to dressing so formally.”
That is the paradox of Castillo’s flair. It may look extravagant, but it signals control.
And in a season where Ecuador’s biggest club is chasing titles and headlines, Castillo is managing both beautifully.
Barcelona SC coach’s wild touchline outfits are stealing the spotlight
