Biography
Who is Saúl Martínez?
Early career and beginnings
Saúl Asael Martínez Álvarez entered the world in the Colón Department of Honduras. He began his path in the sport with Melgar, a team competing in the second division of his home country. Seeking new challenges, he soon departed Honduras to join the Long Island Rough Riders in the United States.
By 1999, he had secured a spot with the Major League Soccer franchise Miami Fusion. His introduction to the top tier of Honduran football, the Liga Nacional, occurred on December 10, 2000, while playing for the club Olimpia in a match against Broncos.
Success in Asia
A major turning point occurred in early 2002 during the Lunar New Year Cup held in Hong Kong. Saúl Martínez scored four times against Slovenia, which immediately caught the attention of representatives from the Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua. They signed him rapidly, and he quickly established himself as a key member of their roster.
His tenure in Asia spanned five years, during which he contributed significantly to his team. He secured the 2003 Golden Boot Award while playing for Shanghai. Although the squad finished as league champions in 2003, the title was revoked a decade later because of the organization's involvement in a match-fixing investigation.
International play and later years
He made his debut for the Honduras national team in a July 2001 exhibition game against Ecuador, scoring a goal immediately upon entering the pitch. Throughout his career, he accumulated 35 caps and scored 16 total goals for his country. A significant highlight arrived during the 2001 Copa América, where Honduras placed third and he netted the second goal in a historic victory against Brazil.
In 2008, he had a brief stint with the Costa Rican team Herediano. He later returned to Honduras for seasons with Marathón. In the 2010 Apertura tournament, he staged an impressive comeback with the club Victoria, leading the goalscoring statistics with 11 goals at age 34. He retired from professional play after the 2011 season, though he briefly joined Miami United in 2013.
Personal details and stats
Standing 168 centimeters tall, the forward built a career across multiple leagues including spells with Club Nacional de Football and F.C. Motagua. His trophy cabinet includes titles from the Uruguayan Primera División in 2001 and 2002 with Nacional Montevideo, as well as the 2008-09 Apertura title in the Honduran Liga Nacional with C.D. Marathón.
His final international appearance took place during the 2009 UNCAF Nations Cup match against Panama. Beyond his club successes, he represented Honduras in 11 FIFA World Cup qualification matches and participated in both the 2007 and 2009 UNCAF Nations Cups.
Birthday and age
Saúl Martínez was born on January 29, 1976, which makes Saúl 50 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aquarius sign. Saúl shares the date with 54 other famous people.
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