Javi Martínez facts for kids
.jpg)
Martínez with Bayern Munich in 2019
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Javier Martínez Aginaga | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 2 September 1988 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Estella, Spain | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defensive midfielder, centre-back | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Current team
|
Al Bidda | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1995 | Berceo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1997 | Logroñés | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–2000 | Arenas de Ayegui | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | Izarra | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2005 | Osasuna | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Osasuna B | 32 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2012 | Athletic Bilbao | 201 | (22) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2021 | Bayern Munich | 165 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2025 | Qatar SC | 71 | (11) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025– | Al Bidda | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Spain U17 | 5 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Spain U19 | 5 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2011 | Spain U21 | 24 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Spain Olympic (O.P.) | 4 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2014 | Spain | 18 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2010 | Basque Country | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Medal record
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 February 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Javier "Javi" Martínez Aginaga (born on September 2, 1988) is a Spanish professional footballer. He plays as a defensive midfielder or a centre-back for Qatari Second Division club Al Bidda. A defensive midfielder helps protect the defense, while a centre-back is a main defender.
Javi Martínez joined Athletic Bilbao in 2006, even before he turned 18. He quickly became a key player. He played in 251 official games over six seasons in La Liga, scoring 26 goals. In 2012, he moved to Bayern Munich for €40 million. There, he won nine Bundesliga titles in a row. He also won the UEFA Champions League twice, in 2013 and 2020.
Martínez also played for the Spanish national team. He was part of the teams that won the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012. He also played in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Playing for Athletic Bilbao
Javi Martínez was born in Estella, Navarre, Spain. He grew up in a nearby village called Ayegui. When he was younger, he was also a talented basketball player. Athletic Bilbao signed him in 2006 for €6 million. He was only 17 years old at the time. He came from CA Osasuna, another Spanish club. He had played for their reserve team, CA Osasuna B, scoring three goals in 32 games.
Martínez quickly became a regular player in his first season (2006–07). He showed strong performances. A highlight was scoring two goals against Deportivo de La Coruña in a 2–0 away win in December 2006. He finished that season with 35 games and three goals. He played almost every game for the next two years. He helped Athletic reach the Copa del Rey final in 2009.
In the 2009–10 season, Martínez was a key midfielder. He played 46 official matches and scored nine goals. He scored a career-best six goals in the league that season. In the 2011–12 season, under new coach Marcelo Bielsa, he started playing more often as a central defender. He started 50 games in this new role. That season, Athletic reached two finals: the domestic cup final and the Europa League final. However, they lost both matches 3–0.
Moving to Bayern Munich
Joining Bayern and First Season
On August 29, 2012, Bayern Munich paid €40 million to sign Martínez. This was the highest transfer fee in the history of the Bundesliga at that time. He signed a five-year contract with the German club. Martínez played his first official game for Bayern on September 2, 2012, which was also his 24th birthday. He came on as a substitute in a 6–1 home win against VfB Stuttgart. He scored his first goal for Bayern on November 24, with a bicycle kick against Hannover 96. Bayern won that game 5–0.
Martínez scored his second goal for Bayern in their 6–1 win over Werder Bremen in February 2013. He headed in a free-kick to make the score 2–0. In April, Bayern beat FC Barcelona 4–0 in the Champions League semi-final. Many experts praised Martínez for his performance. They said he was key in stopping Barcelona's "tiki-taka" style of play. In the last game of his first season, he scored the first goal in a 4–3 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Bayern came back from being 0–2 and 1–3 down in that match. He finished his first season with three goals in 43 games.
Winning the UEFA Super Cup
Martínez started the 2013–14 season on the bench under new coach Pep Guardiola. On August 30, 2013, in the 2013 UEFA Super Cup against Chelsea, he came into the game in the second half. He scored the equalizing goal (2–2) in the last minute of extra time. Bayern then won the trophy in Prague after a penalty shootout. Martínez played in 34 games that season and scored one goal.
Dealing with Injuries
On August 13, 2014, Martínez tore ligaments in his left knee during the German Super Cup against Borussia Dortmund. Bayern lost that game 0–2. This injury meant he missed most of the 2014–15 season. He returned to play on May 2, 2015, starting as a central defender in a 2–0 league win against Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Ten days later, he played as a substitute in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona. That season, he played in the German Super Cup, one Bundesliga match, and one Champions League match.
Return to Form and New Contract
Martínez played his first game of the 2015–16 season on September 19, 2015. He played 24 minutes in a 3–0 win at SV Darmstadt 98. His first start of the season was as a defender in a 3–0 win against 1.FSV Mainz 05. On October 4, 2015, Martínez played a full 90 minutes for the first time in over a year. This was in a 5–1 win against Borussia Dortmund. On December 18, he signed a new contract with Bayern, keeping him at the club until 2021. He finished the season with one goal in 27 games.
Continued Success with Bayern
Martínez played in the German Super Cup at the start of the 2016–17 season. He finished that season with two goals in 37 appearances. He also played in the German Super Cup at the start of the 2017–18 season. On October 31, 2017, Martínez scored the winning goal in a 2–1 away victory over Celtic in the Champions League group stage. This win helped his team move to the next round. This was his first goal in European competitions after 59 games. He finished the season with two goals in 37 appearances.
In the 2018–19 season, Martínez won the German Super Cup as Bayern beat Eintracht Frankfurt 5–0. On January 19, 2019, after a 3–1 win over Hoffenheim, he reached 100 Bundesliga wins with Bayern Munich. He did this in his 120th game, breaking a record. On May 18, 2019, Martínez won his seventh Bundesliga title in a row with Bayern. A week later, he won his fourth DFB-Pokal (German Cup) as Bayern beat RB Leipzig 3–0 in the final. He finished that season with four goals in 33 games.
In the 2019–20 season, he played in 24 games. Bayern won the treble that season, meaning they won the league, the domestic cup, and the Champions League.
"Mr. Super Cup" and Departure
On September 24, 2020, Martínez scored in extra time to win the 2020 UEFA Super Cup for Bayern Munich. They beat Sevilla 2–1. This was his second goal in two UEFA Super Cup appearances. Because he scored the winning goal in extra time again, his teammate Thomas Müller gave him the nickname "Mr. Super Cup." In May 2021, Bayern announced that Martínez would leave the club at the end of the season. Both sides agreed not to extend his contract.
Playing for Qatar SC
On June 20, 2021, Martínez signed a three-year contract with Qatar Stars League club Qatar SC. In August 2024, Martínez extended his contract for another year.
International Career
When he was 19, Martínez started playing for Spain's under-21 team. He played in the 2009 UEFA European Championships. On May 20, 2010, he was chosen for the senior national team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. On May 29, he played his first full game for Spain. He came on as a substitute in a 3–2 friendly win against Saudi Arabia.
Martínez played once in the World Cup tournament. He replaced an injured player for the last 20 minutes of a group stage game against Chile. Spain won that game 2–1 and went on to win the tournament. He then returned to the under-21 team for the 2011 European Championships in Denmark. He was the captain and led the team to win their third title in that category.
Martínez also played in one game at UEFA Euro 2012 for the team that eventually won the championship. He came on as a substitute against the Republic of Ireland in the group stage. Spain won that game 4–0. The coach, Vicente del Bosque, described Martínez as "a complete player." Martínez was also part of the squad for the 2012 Summer Olympics. However, the team was eliminated in the group stage.
Martínez was chosen for Spain's team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He made his tournament debut in the second group game, starting against Chile. Spain lost that game 0–2, which meant they were eliminated from the tournament.
How Javi Martínez Plays
Martínez is a very flexible player. He can play both as a holding midfielder and as a centre-back. He can also play as a sweeper in a defense with three players. This is because he is good at passing the ball from the back. His ability to play in different positions helped Bayern Munich change their tactics during games.
Besides being good at tackling, strong physically, and good in the air, Martínez is also known for his passing, technique, and vision. He also has a strong mindset. These skills allow him to play in different midfield roles, including as a deep-lying playmaker.
Personal Life
Javi Martínez's older brother, Álvaro, was also a footballer. He played as a defender. Álvaro mostly played in lower leagues. Javi has said that Álvaro was a positive influence on his early career.
Martínez speaks Spanish, German, and English.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Osasuna B | 2005–06 | Segunda División B | 32 | 3 | — | — | — | 32 | 3 | |||
| Athletic Bilbao | 2006–07 | La Liga | 35 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 3 | ||
| 2007–08 | La Liga | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 0 | |||
| 2008–09 | La Liga | 32 | 5 | 9 | 1 | — | — | 41 | 6 | |||
| 2009–10 | La Liga | 34 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 2 | — | 46 | 9 | ||
| 2010–11 | La Liga | 35 | 4 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 4 | |||
| 2011–12 | La Liga | 31 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 0 | — | 54 | 4 | ||
| Total | 201 | 22 | 25 | 2 | 25 | 2 | — | 251 | 26 | |||
| Bayern Munich | 2012–13 | Bundesliga | 27 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 3 |
| 2013–14 | Bundesliga | 18 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 34 | 1 | |
| 2014–15 | Bundesliga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2015–16 | Bundesliga | 16 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | |
| 2016–17 | Bundesliga | 25 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 2 | |
| 2017–18 | Bundesliga | 22 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 2 | |
| 2018–19 | Bundesliga | 21 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 4 | |
| 2019–20 | Bundesliga | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | |
| 2020–21 | Bundesliga | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 30 | 1 | |
| Total | 165 | 9 | 28 | 1 | 66 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 268 | 14 | ||
| Qatar SC | 2021–22 | Qatar Stars League | 21 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 23 | 4 | |
| 2022–23 | Qatar Stars League | 17 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 | ||
| 2023–24 | Qatar Stars League | 16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 16 | 4 | ||
| Total | 54 | 8 | 5 | 2 | — | 0 | 0 | 59 | 10 | |||
| Career total | 452 | 42 | 58 | 5 | 91 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 610 | 53 | ||
International Appearances
Source:
| Spain | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2010 | 3 | 0 |
| 2011 | 4 | 0 |
| 2012 | 2 | 0 |
| 2013 | 5 | 0 |
| 2014 | 4 | 0 |
| Total | 18 | 0 |
Honours and Awards
Athletic Bilbao
- Copa del Rey runner-up: 2009, 2012
- UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2012
Bayern Munich
- Bundesliga: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
- DFB-Pokal: 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2020
- DFL-Supercup: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020
- UEFA Champions League: 2013, 2020
- UEFA Super Cup: 2013, 2020
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2013
Spain U19
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2007
Spain U21
Spain
- FIFA World Cup: 2010
- UEFA European Championship: 2012
- FIFA Confederations Cup runner-up: 2013
Individual Awards
- La Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year: 2010
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2011
See also
In Spanish: Javi Martínez para niños
