Carlos Martins (footballer)

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Netoand the second or paternal family name is Martins.

Carlos Martins

Martins with Portugal in 2011
Personal information
Full name	Carlos Jorge Neto Martins [1]
Date of birth	(1982-04-29) 29 April 1982 (age 42) [1]
Place of birth	Oliveira do Hospital, Portugal
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) [1]
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Youth career
1990–1993	Tourizense
1993–2000	Sporting CP
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2000–2003	Sporting CP B	29	(3)
2000–2007	Sporting CP	76	(9)
2001–2002	→ Campomaiorense (loan)	27	(1)
2003	→ Académica (loan)	9	(0)
2007–2008	Recreativo	32	(6)
2008–2014	Benfica	79	(6)
2011–2012	→ Granada (loan)	29	(3)
2014	Benfica B	9	(0)
2015–2016	Belenenses	38	(3)
Total		328	(31)
International career
2001–2002	Portugal U20	12	(1)
2002–2004	Portugal U21	14	(7)
2004–2005	Portugal B	3	(0)
2004	Portugal Olympic	4	(1)
2006–2013	Portugal	17	(2)
Medal record Men's football Representing   Portugal UEFA European Under-21 Championship 2004 Germany
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Carlos Jorge Neto Martins (born 29 April 1982) is a Portuguese former professional footballer. An attacking midfielder, he was noted for his long-range shots.

His career, during which he represented both Sporting CP and Benfica, was marred by injury and discipline problems. ^{[2] [3] [4] [5]} He also played professionally in Spain, with Recreativo and Granada, and amassed Primeira Liga totals of 201 matches and 18 goals over 12 seasons.

A member of Portugal's team at the 2004 Olympics, Martins earned 17 senior caps for his nation. ^[6]

Club career

Sporting CP

Born in Oliveira do Hospital, Coimbra District, Martins was a youth product of Sporting CP, joining its system at the age of 11. He made his professional debut with modest S.C. Campomaiorense in the Segunda Liga and, from January–June 2003, was again loaned, to Primeira Liga side Académica de Coimbra. ^{[7] [8] [9]}

In the 2005–06 season, despite suffering from several physical problems as well as disciplinary issues, Martins was still able to score two goals in only 13 starts. ^{[10] [11]}

Recreativo

However, in February 2007, after several bouts of indiscipline at Sporting, coach Paulo Bento ostracised Martins for the final three months of the campaign, ^[12] and although a player still under contract, moving abroad was the only option available for him and, in June, he transferred to La Liga club Recreativo de Huelva. ^[13]

In November, Portuguese network RTP Internacional interviewed Martins about his situation at Sporting and the player responded: "My situation with coach Bento has been a very bad one. I was constantly pressured to perform and when I did eventually get the call-up to the national side, it got so far that it almost turned into a physical confrontation". Bento denied this despite media sources releasing information of the two that went back to the manager's playing career at Sporting. ^{[14] [15] [16]}

Martins finished the season with seven goals in 35 competitive appearances, ^[17] his only in the Copa del Rey coming in a 1–1 home draw against Xerez CD in the round of 32. ^[18]

Benfica

On 1 July 2008, Martins signed a five-year deal with S.L. Benfica, with the club paying €3 million for the transfer (40% to Recreativo, 40% to Sporting and 20% to the player). ^[19] Regularly used during his first year although never an undisputed starter, he netted his first goal for the side in a 2–0 win at Vitória de Guimarães in the Taça da Liga. ^[20] Also in that competition, he scored the decider in the penalty shootout final victory over former side Sporting on 21 March 2009. ^[21]

Martins lost some room early into the following season, mainly due to recurrent injuries; however, he bounced back and figured prominently for Jorge Jesus' side. ^{[22] [23]} On 21 March 2010, exactly 365 days after the last final, he helped them renew their League Cup supremacy as he netted in a 3–0 defeat of FC Porto from a 30-meter free kick. ^[24]

On 13 August 2011, Benfica loaned Martins to Granada CF – recently promoted to the Spanish top division – in a season-long move. ^[25] He appeared regularly as a starter during his spell but, although the Andalusians attempted to renew his loan deal, the Portuguese rejected, only allowing the player to leave on a permanent basis. ^[26]

After a successful 2012 preseason, where he scored several goals, Martins renewed his contract in August until 2016. ^[27] Featuring sporadically throughout the campaign, he did take the field as a substitute in a match against G.D. Estoril-Praia on 6 May 2013: with the game tied 1–1 and Benfica looking to score, he was booked in the 70th minute and, eight minutes later, was sent off after another foul in an eventual home draw that saw his team lose the title race to Porto. ^[28] He was subsequently told to look for a new club after manager Jesus deemed him surplus to requirements ^[29] but, being unable to do so, he spent the entire 2013–14 with the reserves in the second tier, only appearing after the winter transfer window. ^{[30] [31]}

Belenenses

On 16 September 2014, Martins terminated his contract with Benfica. ^[32] The following month, he signed for one year with fellow top-tier C.F. Os Belenenses, ^[33] making his official debut on 7 January 2015 by starting in a 7–1 away loss against S.C. Braga in the quarter-finals of the Taça de Portugal. ^[34]

Martins scored a brace to help his team to defeat IFK Göteborg 2–1 at the Estádio do Restelo on 30 July 2015, in the first leg of the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League. ^[35]

International career

Martins (right) playing for Portugal against Argentina in 2011

After Portugal finished in fourth place at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Martins, a former under-21 international, ^[8] was called to the senior squad for the first time for a friendly with Denmark and a UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier against Finland in September. ^[36] He made his debut in the former fixture, on the first day of the month. ^[37]

Appearing rarely the following four years, Martins received a surprise callup in September 2010 for Euro 2012 qualifying campaign matches against Denmark and Iceland, as former Sporting coach Bento was in charge of the national team: he started in both games, consecutive 3–1 wins. ^{[38] [39]}

Martins missed the final stages in Poland and Ukraine after featuring regularly in the qualifiers, having contracted an injury in late May 2012 already in training camp. ^[40] Previously, he was part of the squad at the 2004 Summer Olympics, a group-stage exit in Athens. ^{[41] [42]}

Personal life

On 15 November 2011, during Portugal's Euro 2012 playoff home fixture against Bosnia and Herzegovina, it was announced that Martins' three-year-old son Gustavo suffered from a rare bone marrow condition, needing an urgent transplant. ^[43] The player spent nearly two weeks in his country, ^[44] returning to action for Granada (as a starter) in a home game against RCD Mallorca on the 20th, scoring the 1–1 equaliser and being booked shortly afterwards for a reckless challenge, with the game being eventually suspended minutes later after a 15-year-old spectator hit the assistant referee with an umbrella. ^[45]

Martins' younger brother, João, was also a footballer and a midfielder. He also graduated from Sporting's youth academy, but spent most of his career in the lower leagues. ^[46]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition ^{[47] [48]}

Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Europe		Other [a]		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Sporting CP B	2000–01	Segunda Divisão B	24	2	—		—		—		—		24	2
	2001–02	Segunda Divisão B	0	0	—		—		—		—		0	0
	2002–03	Segunda Divisão B	5	1	—		—		—		—		5	1
	Total		29	3	—		—		—		—		29	3
Sporting CP	2000–01	Primeira Liga	1	0	0	0	—		0	0	0	0	1	0
	2002–03	Primeira Liga	6	0	1	1	—		1	0	1	1	9	2
	2003–04	Primeira Liga	14	2	1	0	—		2	0	—		17	2
	2004–05	Primeira Liga	22	5	2	2	—		7	0	—		31	7
	2005–06	Primeira Liga	21	2	3	0	—		0	0	—		24	2
	2006–07	Primeira Liga	12	0	1	0	—		3	0	—		16	0
	Total		76	9	8	3	—		13	0	1	1	98	13
Campomaiorense (loan)	2001–02	Segunda Liga	27	1	2	0	—		—		—		29	1
Académica (loan)	2002–03	Primeira Liga	9	0	2	0	—		—		—		11	0
Recreativo	2007–08	La Liga	32	6	3	1	—		—		—		35	7
Benfica	2008–09	Primeira Liga	24	0	1	0	5	1	5	0	—		35	1
	2009–10	Primeira Liga	17	3	1	2	4	2	8	0	—		30	7
	2010–11	Primeira Liga	25	3	4	0	3	0	13	0	1	0	46	3
	2012–13	Primeira Liga	13	0	2	0	2	0	5	0	—		22	0
	Total		79	6	8	2	14	3	31	0	1	0	133	11
Granada (loan)	2011–12	La Liga	29	3	0	0	—		—		—		29	3
Benfica B	2013–14	Segunda Liga	9	0	—		—		—		—		9	0
Belenenses	2014–15	Primeira Liga	14	1	1	0	1	0	—		—		16	1
	2015–16	Primeira Liga	24	2	0	0	0	0	6	2	—		30	4
	Total		38	3	1	0	1	0	6	2	—		46	5
Career total			328	31	24	6	15	3	50	2	2	1	419	43

1. Includes Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira

International

Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Martins goal.

List of international goals scored by Carlos Martins ^[49]

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	20 August 2008	Estádio Municipal, Aveiro, Portugal	Faroe Islands	1–0	5–0	Friendly
2	17 November 2010	Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal	Spain	1–0	4–0	Friendly

Honours

Sporting CP

• Taça de Portugal: 2006–07
• Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2002 ^[50]
• UEFA Cup runner-up: 2004–05

Benfica

• Primeira Liga: 2009–10
• Taça da Liga: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
• Taça de Portugal runner-up: 2012–13
• Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira runner-up: 2010
• UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2012–13

Portugal

• Toulon Tournament: 2001 ^[51]

References

1. "Carlos Martins" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
2. "Carlos Martins: "Quero ser campeão no Sporting"" [Carlos Martins: "I want to be champion with Sporting"]. Record (in Portuguese). 14 April 2003. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
3. "Jorge Jesus manda recado a Carlos Martins" [Jorge Jesus sends message to Carlos Martins]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 15 February 2013. Archived from the original on 30 May 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
4. "O lado negro de Carlos Martins" [The dark side of Carlos Martins]. Record (in Portuguese). 22 July 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
5. "Carlos Martins faz golo histórico e sofre sétima expulsão" [Carlos Martins scores historic goal and is sent off for the seventh time]. Record (in Portuguese). 8 February 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
6. Pereira, Sérgio (21 February 2019). "Depois de Sporting e Benfica, Carlos Martins lançou-se nos negócios" [After Sporting and Benfica, Carlos Martins has a go at business] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
7. "Carlos Martins e Chiquinho cedidos" [Carlos Martins and Chiquinho loaned]. Record (in Portuguese). 28 June 2001. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
8. "Sporting empresta Carlos Martins à Académica" [Sporting loan Carlos Martins to Académica]. Público (in Portuguese). 22 January 2003. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
9. Simões de Abreu, Alexandra (11 May 2019). ""À porta, o segurança perguntou: 'Têm a certeza?'. Entrámos, homens aos beijos, era um bar gay. A primeira saída à noite correu tão mal..."" ["At the door, the bouncer asked: 'Are you sure?'. We got inside, men kissing, it was a gay bar. The first night out went so wrong..."]. Expresso (in Portuguese). Retrieved 22 May 2024.
10. "Revolta dos proscritos" [Rise of the outcast]. Correio da Manhã (in Portuguese). 28 November 2005. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
11. "Duo dinâmico resolveu" [Dynamic duo the deciders]. Correio da Manhã (in Portuguese). 13 February 2006. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
12. "Sporting dá aval às saídas de Custódio e de Carlos Martins" [Sporting green-light departures of Custódio and Carlos Martins]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 23 May 2007. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
13. "El Recreativo ficha a Carlos Martins" [Recreativo sign Carlos Martins] (in Spanish). Fichajes. 4 June 2007. Retrieved 3 December 2010.
14. "O fado de Martins" [The fate of Martins]. Record (in Portuguese). 11 December 2006. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
15. "Paulo Bento: "Quem quiser ficar tem de o demonstrar"" [Paulo Bento: "Whoever wants to stay has to show it"]. Record (in Portuguese). 20 December 2006. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
16. "Carlos Martins: "Paulo Bento desiludiu-me"" [Carlos Martins: "Paulo Bento has let me down"]. Record (in Portuguese). 7 December 2007. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
17. Prata, Bruno (8 October 2010). "Chegou a hora de Carlos Martins" [Carlos Martins' time has come]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 22 May 2024.
18. "El Xerez domina aunque no puede con el Recreativo" [Xerez dominate but cannot best Recreativo]. El País (in Spanish). 2 January 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
19. "Martins wends his way to Benfica". UEFA. 1 July 2008. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
20. Rocha Dias, Matilde (8 January 2009). "Benfica levanta a cabeça com uma exibição segura em Guimarães" [Benfica lift head with safe display in Guimarães]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 January 2018.
21. "Quim the hero of Benfica triumph". UEFA. 21 March 2009. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
22. "Carlos Martins pára um mês" [Carlos Martins one month out]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 18 August 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
23. "Carlos Martins mantém a batuta" [Carlos Martins still in charge]. Record (in Portuguese). 6 March 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
24. Curado, Paulo (21 March 2010). "Sem grande esforço, Benfica atropelou o FC Porto" [Without breaking a sweat, Benfica ran over FC Porto]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 January 2018.
25. "El Benfica cede a Carlos Martins al Granada" [Benfica loan Carlos Martins to Granada]. Super Deporte (in Spanish). 13 August 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
26. "Javier Rufete: "O Benfica não quer emprestar Carlos Martins"" [Javier Rufete: "Benfica do not want to loan Carlos Martins"]. Record (in Portuguese). 23 July 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
27. "Carlos Martins renova até 2016" [Carlos Martins renews until 2016]. Record (in Portuguese). 3 August 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
28. Curado, Paulo (6 May 2013). "Afinal foi mesmo o Estoril quem conseguiu travar o Benfica na Luz" [Turns out it was Estoril that stopped Benfica at the Luz]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 6 August 2014.
29. Pereira, António (8 May 2013). "Martins deixa de contar para Jesus" [Martins no longer counts to Jesus]. Correio da Manhã (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
30. "Carlos Martins aguarda colocação" [Carlos Martins awaits placement]. Record (in Portuguese). 13 July 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
31. "Benfica: 277 dias depois, Carlos Martins volta à competição" [Benfica: 277 days later, Carlos Martins returns to competition] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 8 February 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
32. "Carlos Martins rescindiu o contrato" [Carlos Martins terminated contract]. Record (in Portuguese). 19 September 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
33. "Carlos Martins é oficial" [Carlos Martins is official]. Record (in Portuguese). 24 October 2014. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
34. "Braga atropela Bélem a caminho de Vila do Conde" [Braga run Bélem over on the way to Vila do Conde] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 7 January 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
35. ""Bis" de Carlos Martins garante vantagem mínima para a Suécia" [Carlos Martins brace confirms minimal advantage to Sweden] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
36. "Portugal answer Martins' prayers". UEFA. 22 August 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
37. Almeida, Isaura (2 September 2006). "Estreia eufórica de Nani não merecia defesa de papel" [Euphoric Nani debut did not deserve paper-like defence]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 28 May 2021.
38. Brassell, Andy (8 October 2010). "Denmark defeated on Bento's Portugal debut". UEFA. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
39. "Portugal revival goes on in Iceland". UEFA. 12 October 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
40. "Portugal replace Martins with Viana". FIFA. 23 May 2012. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
41. "Fernando Meira, Boa Morte e Ronaldo convocados para os Jogos Olímpicos" [Fernando Meira, Boa Morte and Ronaldo selected for the Olympic Games]. Público (in Portuguese). 21 July 2004. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
42. Matias, Jorge Miguel (19 August 2004). "Eliminados e humilhados" [Eliminated and humiliated]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 22 May 2024.
43. Shave, Ben; Kundert, Tom (17 November 2011). "Seleccao support for Carlos Martins". PortuGOAL. Archived from the original on 23 June 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
44. "Martins apura su estancia en Portugal en busca de ayuda para su hijo" [Martins extends stay in Portugal in seek of help for son]. Marca (in Spanish). 17 November 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
45. "Hemed penalty rescues restarted game". ESPN Soccernet. 20 November 2011. Archived from the original on 20 July 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
46. Travassos, Nuno (21 February 2014). "Carlos Martins defronta o irmão: "Não merece o que lhe fizeram"" [Carlos Martins faces brother: "He does not deserve what has been done to him"] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
47. Carlos Martins at ForaDeJogo (archived)
48. Carlos Martins at Soccerway
49. "Carlos Martins". European Football. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
50. "Sporting-Leixões, 5–1 (crónica)" [Sporting-Leixões, 5–1 (report)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 18 August 2002. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
51. "Torneio Toulon (Final): PORTUGAL-COLÔMBIA, 2–1 (Postiga 5m, Ricardo Costa 52m; Valdés 27m [gp])" [Toulon Tournament (Final): PORTUGAL-COLOMBIA, 2–1 (Postiga 5m, Ricardo Costa 52m; Valdés 27m [pk])]. Record (in Portuguese). 2 June 2001. Retrieved 24 November 2021.

External links

• Carlos Martins at ForaDeJogo (archived)
• Carlos Martins at BDFutbol
• Carlos Martins national team profile at the Portuguese Football Federation (in Portuguese)
• Carlos Martins at National-Football-Teams.com
• Carlos Martins – FIFA competition record (archived)