Jackson Martínez facts for kids
Martínez in 2014
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jackson Arley Martínez Valencia | ||
| Date of birth | 3 October 1986 | ||
| Place of birth | Quibdó, Colombia | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2001–2004 | Independiente Medellín | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2004–2009 | Independiente Medellín | 106 | (41) |
| 2009–2012 | Chiapas | 64 | (33) |
| 2012–2015 | Porto | 90 | (67) |
| 2015–2016 | Atlético Madrid | 15 | (2) |
| 2016–2019 | Guangzhou Evergrande | 10 | (4) |
| 2018–2019 | → Portimonense (loan) | 27 | (9) |
| 2019–2020 | Portimonense | 24 | (1) |
| Total | 371 | (168) | |
| National team | |||
| 2009–2015 | Colombia | 40 | (9) |
|
|||
Jackson Arley Martínez Valencia (born October 3, 1986) is a former professional footballer from Colombia. He was a striker, known for scoring many goals.
Jackson Martínez started his career in 2004 with Independiente Medellín in Colombia. He became the top scorer in their league in 2009. After that, he moved to Mexico to play for Chiapas in 2010.
Three years later, he joined Porto in Portugal. There, he was the Primeira Liga's top scorer for all three seasons he played. In 2015, Martínez moved to Atlético Madrid in Spain. Six months later, he joined Guangzhou Evergrande in China.
He faced a serious ankle injury in late 2016, which kept him from playing for two years. He ended his career back in Portugal with Portimonense in 2020.
Martínez also played for the Colombian national team 40 times between 2009 and 2015. He scored nine goals for his country. He played in the Copa América in 2011 and 2015. He also played in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where he scored two goals against Japan.
Contents
Jackson Martínez's Football Journey
Starting at Independiente Medellín
Jackson Martínez was born in Quibdó, Colombia. He joined the youth team of Independiente Medellín in 2001. In 2004, when he was 18, he played his first professional game. This was on his birthday, October 3, 2004.
About a month later, he scored his first goal as a professional player. This goal helped his team qualify for the playoffs. He scored three goals in those playoffs, showing he had a bright future.
From 2005 to 2007, he scored 12 goals. In 2008, he really started to shine, scoring 11 goals. His team finished second in the league that year.
In 2009, Martínez scored his first hat-trick (three goals in one game) in a match against Peñarol. He started the 2009 season very well, scoring four goals in four games. However, he got injured in March 2009 and missed the rest of that season.
Despite the injury, he came back strong. He became the top goal scorer in the 2009 Torneo Finalizacion with 18 goals. He helped his team win their fifth league title, scoring in both final games.
Playing in Mexico with Chiapas
After his success in Colombia, Jackson Martínez was wanted by clubs from other countries. In January 2010, he signed a three-year contract with Chiapas in Mexico.
He scored his first two goals for Chiapas on January 30, 2010. He ended his first season with nine goals, making him one of the top scorers. In August 2010, he had an ankle operation, which kept him out for a month.
In the next season (2010 Apertura), he scored only two goals in 14 games. But one of his goals helped Chiapas get into the playoffs. In 2011, he missed most of the season due to another injury.
However, he played a key role in the 2011 Copa Libertadores tournament. He scored important goals against a Colombian club, Junior, helping his team move forward. Chiapas was eventually knocked out in the quarter-finals.
In the 2012 Apertura season, he scored eight goals, including two goals in two different games. He also scored in the playoffs. Martínez became the captain of the team in the 2012 Clausura season. He scored eight goals again, with two goals in two different games. Many European clubs became interested in him after this season.
Success with Porto in Portugal
On July 7, 2012, Porto announced that they had signed Jackson Martínez. He signed a four-year contract. On August 11, he played his first game for Porto in the 2012 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira. He scored the winning goal in the last minute, helping Porto win their first title with him. He was named the best player of the match.
Martínez scored his first league goal on August 25. On September 22, he scored a fantastic bicycle kick goal. He also scored a back-heel volley against rivals Sporting. In the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League, he scored his first two goals in European competitions.
He continued to score many goals, earning the "Player of the Month" award for October and November. By January 2013, he had scored 14 goals in his first 15 league games. On February 2, he scored his first hat-trick for Porto.
He was named "Player of the Month" again in February. In the last game of the season, Martínez scored a goal that helped Porto win their third league title in a row. This goal also made him the league's top scorer with 26 goals.
More Trophies with Porto
In 2013, Martínez scored in the 2013 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, helping Porto win their second Supercup in a row. He started the new league season strongly, scoring four more goals in the first few games.
On October 6, he scored two goals against Arouca. He also scored the only goal in a Europa League match against Napoli, which helped Porto move to the next round. On January 19, 2014, Martínez scored his 50th goal for Porto in all competitions.
He ended up being the league's top scorer for the second season in a row with 20 goals. This was a big achievement, as he was the first player to do this since Mario Jardel many years before.
Final Season at Porto
After the 2014 World Cup, many big clubs were interested in Martínez. However, he extended his contract with Porto until 2017. In a Champions League game against Shakhtar Donetsk, his team was losing 2-0 with only minutes left. Martínez scored two goals in four minutes, including a penalty, to make the score 2-2. This was an amazing comeback!
He continued to perform well, helping Porto qualify for the next round of the Champions League. He was voted "Player of the Month" for December 2014 and January 2015.
On March 6, 2015, he got a calf muscle injury, which kept him out for a month. He returned in a Champions League quarter-final match against Bayern Munich. He scored the last goal in a 3-1 victory. He scored again in the second game, but Porto was eliminated. He finished the 2014–15 season with 21 goals, winning the golden boot award for the third time in a row.
Moving to Atlético Madrid
After leaving Porto, Jackson Martínez joined the Spanish team Atlético Madrid on June 27, 2015. Atlético paid €35 million for him. He signed a four-year contract. He was officially introduced to about 10,000 fans at the stadium.
Martínez played his first game in the Spanish league on August 22. A week later, he scored his first goal for Atlético in a 3-0 win against Sevilla. However, he found it challenging to score as many goals as he used to.
On October 21, he scored his first Champions League goal for Atlético. A few days later, he scored in a win against Valencia. On November 12, while playing for Colombia, he suffered an ankle injury. This kept him from playing for a month. He returned on December 30 and helped his teammate Antoine Griezmann score a goal.
It was a difficult time for him at Atlético Madrid. He was used to playing as the main striker, but the team's style was different. His ankle injuries also made it hard for him to play his best.
Time in China with Guangzhou Evergrande
On February 3, 2016, Jackson Martínez moved to Chinese Super League team Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao. The transfer fee was €42 million, which was a record for an Asian team at the time.
He played his first game for them on February 24. On March 6, he scored in his first Chinese Super League game. A week later, he scored and assisted another goal in a 3-0 win. On April 15, he got another ankle injury and had to have surgery. This kept him out for several months.
On October 26, 2016, after playing 16 games, Martínez suffered another ankle injury. This injury was very serious and kept him from playing for almost two years. He had another ankle surgery in July 2017. In March 2018, Guangzhou Evergrande ended his contract because of his ongoing injuries.
Return to Portugal with Portimonense
On August 31, 2018, Martínez returned to Portugal, joining Portimonense on loan. Later, he signed a permanent deal with them.
He played his first game for Portimonense on September 23. On November 3, he scored his first goal for the club from a penalty. On December 7, he returned to Porto's stadium for the first time since leaving. The fans and players gave him a standing ovation when he was substituted, showing their respect.
A week later, he scored two goals in a 3-1 win. In October 2019, he scored his first goal for the club in the Portuguese Cup. In January 2020, he signed a new contract with Portimonense until 2022.
His last game for the club was on July 26, 2020, where he was the team captain. He played 24 games and scored once in the 2019–20 season. Portimonense was almost relegated, but they stayed in the league due to another team's issues. Still troubled by his ankle injuries, Martínez left Portimonense in August 2020.
On December 7, 2020, Jackson Martínez officially announced that he was retiring from football.
Playing for Colombia
Jackson Martínez first played for the Colombian national team when he was 22. He made his debut and scored his first international goal on September 5, 2009, in a 2-0 win against Ecuador. Four days later, he scored his second goal against Uruguay.
On June 2, 2014, Martínez was chosen to be part of Colombia's team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. After coming on as a substitute in the first game, he started the final group game against Japan. He scored two goals in a 4-1 win and was named the best player of the match.
Martínez also played in the 2015 Copa América in Chile. His last game for the national team was in November 2015, where he suffered an injury.
About Jackson Martínez
Jackson Martínez's nickname is "Cha Cha Cha." His father, Orlando Martínez, who was also a footballer, used to celebrate his goals by doing the "Cha Cha Cha" dance. So, his teammates started calling him that, and the nickname was passed on to Jackson. He often does the same celebration!
When he was 15, he moved with his family to Medellín. He joined Independiente Medellín's academy at age 16.
Martínez married Tatiana Caicedo in March 2013. They have two children: a son named Josue (born in 2012) and a daughter named Samantha (born in 2015). He is a Christian. In September 2018, he released a seven-track Christian hip hop music album called No Temeré (which means "I Will Not Fear").
When he was young, Martínez played baseball, basketball, and volleyball. He said these sports helped him become more agile and better at jumping. These skills helped him score amazing acrobatic goals in football.
Martínez also has a foundation named "Fundacion Jackson Martinez." This foundation helps children living in poverty get proper football gear, play in competitive matches, and get noticed by scouts.
How Jackson Martínez Played
Jackson Martínez was known for being a great goal scorer. He could use both of his feet very well and was excellent at volleying the ball (hitting it before it bounces). He combined his volleying skill with his agility to score many acrobatic goals.
Because he was tall and strong, he was also very good at heading the ball and winning battles for the ball in the air. This made it hard for defenders to stop him.
Football experts praised his skills. One journalist described him as a "centre-forward who can finish off both feet, and with an excellent jump that makes him an aerial threat." Arsène Wenger, a famous football manager, said that Martínez "could play in the Premier League because he has the body to make the difference," and that he was "a good finisher."
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Independiente Medellín | 2004 | Categoría Primera A | 9 | 4 | – | — | 0 | 0 | – | 9 | 4 | |||
| 2005 | Categoría Primera A | 24 | 4 | – | – | 1 | 0 | – | 25 | 4 | ||||
| 2006 | Categoría Primera A | 22 | 4 | – | – | 1 | 0 | – | 23 | 4 | ||||
| 2007 | Categoría Primera A | 22 | 4 | – | – | – | – | 22 | 4 | |||||
| 2008 | Categoría Primera A | 37 | 11 | 3 | 0 | – | – | – | 40 | 11 | ||||
| 2009 | Categoría Primera A | 27 | 22 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 | 3 | – | 32 | 25 | |||
| Total | 141 | 49 | 3 | 0 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 151 | 52 | ||||
| Chiapas | 2009–10 | Primera División | 13 | 9 | – | – | – | – | 13 | 9 | ||||
| 2010–11 | Primera División | 16 | 4 | – | – | 4 | 3 | – | 20 | 7 | ||||
| 2011–12 | Primera División | 35 | 20 | – | – | – | – | 35 | 20 | |||||
| Total | 64 | 33 | – | – | 4 | 3 | – | 68 | 36 | |||||
| Porto | 2012–13 | Primeira Liga | 30 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 43 | 31 |
| 2013–14 | Primeira Liga | 30 | 20 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 51 | 29 | |
| 2014–15 | Primeira Liga | 30 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 8 | – | 42 | 32 | ||
| Total | 90 | 67 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 29 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 136 | 92 | ||
| Atlético Madrid | 2015–16 | La Liga | 15 | 2 | 3 | 0 | – | 4 | 1 | – | 22 | 3 | ||
| Guangzhou Evergrande | 2016 | Chinese Super League | 10 | 4 | 1 | 0 | – | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 4 | |
| 2017 | Chinese Super League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2018 | Chinese Super League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total | 10 | 4 | 1 | 0 | – | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 4 | |||
| Portimonense (loan) | 2018–19 | Primeira Liga | 27 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 28 | 9 | ||
| Portimonense | 2019–20 | Primeira Liga | 24 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 26 | 3 | ||
| Career total | 371 | 165 | 15 | 4 | 10 | 7 | 48 | 21 | 3 | 2 | 447 | 199 | ||
International
Source:
| Colombia | ||
| Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 5 | 3 |
| 2010 | 3 | 0 |
| 2011 | 5 | 1 |
| 2012 | 4 | 1 |
| 2013 | 8 | 2 |
| 2014 | 9 | 2 |
| 2015 | 6 | 0 |
| Total | 40 | 9 |
International goals Scores and results list Colombia's goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 5 September 2009 | Estadio Atanasio Girardot, Medellín, Colombia |  Ecuador |
|
|
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2. | 9 September 2009 | Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay |  Uruguay |
|
|
|
| 3. | 10 October 2009 | Estadio Atanasio Girardot, Medellín, Colombia |  Chile |
|
|
|
| 4. | 6 September 2011 | Lockhart Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, United States |  Jamaica |
|
|
Friendly |
| 5. | 16 October 2012 | Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Barranquilla, Colombia |  Cameroon |
|
|
|
| 6. | 6 February 2013 | Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, United States |  Guatemala |
|
4–1 | |
| 7. |
|
|||||
| 8. | 24 June 2014 | Arena Pantanal, Cuiabá, Brazil |  Japan |
|
4–1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup |
| 9. |
|
Honours and Awards
Independiente Medellín
- Categoría Primera A: 2009-II (League Champion)
Porto
- Primeira Liga: 2012–13 (League Champion)
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2012, 2013 (Supercup Winner)
Guangzhou Evergrande
- Chinese Super League: 2016 (League Champion)
- Chinese FA Cup: 2016 (Cup Winner)
- Chinese FA Super Cup: 2016 (Supercup Winner)
Individual Awards
- Categoría Primera A Top goal scorer: 2009 Finalizacion
- Categoria Primera A Best Player: 2009 Finalizacion
- Categoria Primera A Dream Team: 2009 Finalizacion
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira Man of the match: 2012
- SJPF Player of the Month: October 2012, November 2012, February 2013, December 2014, January 2015
- O Jogo Team of the Year: 2012, 2013
- Primeira Liga Top goal scorer: 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15
- FC Porto Athlete of the Year: 2014, 2015
Images for kids
-
Martínez in 2014
-
Martínez battling for possession in July 2013.
See also
In Spanish: Jackson Martínez para niños
