Kyle Martino facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kyle Hunter Martino | ||
| Date of birth | February 19, 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2002–2006 | Columbus Crew | 106 | (10) |
| 2006–2007 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 35 | (3) |
| Total | 141 | (13) | |
| National team | |||
| 2002–2006 | United States | 8 | (1) |
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Kyle Hunter Martino, born on February 19, 1981, is an American who used to play professional soccer. He played as a midfielder for seven seasons in Major League Soccer (MLS). He played for the Columbus Crew and the Los Angeles Galaxy. After his playing career, he became a well-known television soccer analyst and host.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
High School Soccer Star
Kyle Martino went to Staples High School in Westport, Connecticut. While there, he played soccer and was very good. In 1998, after his final year, he won the Gatorade National Player of the Year award. This is a big honor for young athletes in the United States.
College Success
From 1999 to 2001, Martino attended the University of Virginia. He continued to play college soccer and showed great skill. During his time there, he scored 17 goals and helped with 21 assists. In his junior year, he was named the ACC Player of the Year. He was also a finalist for the Hermann Trophy in both his sophomore and junior seasons. This award goes to the best college soccer player in the country.
Professional Soccer Journey
Martino decided to leave college after his junior year to play professional soccer. He signed a special contract with Major League Soccer (MLS). In the 2002 MLS Superdraft, the Columbus Crew picked him as the eighth player overall.
- Early Career and Awards
In his first year, 2002, he scored two goals and made five assists in 22 games. He helped the Crew's offense and won the MLS Rookie of the Year Award. This award is given to the best new player in the league.
- Moving Teams
After playing for the Columbus Crew for several years, Martino was traded to the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2006. This trade involved four players. He played against his future team, the Galaxy, before the trade happened. In that game, he scored the only goal in the last few seconds, giving the Crew a win.
- Retirement from the Field
Martino tried out for some European teams, including NEC Nijmegen in the Netherlands and Leeds United in England, but he did not sign a contract. On February 19, 2008, Kyle Martino retired from professional soccer. Doctors advised him to stop playing because of serious injuries he had received during his career.
Representing the United States
Kyle Martino also played for the United States national team. He played in the 2001 World Youth Championship in Argentina. He earned his first cap (played his first game) for the senior national team on November 17, 2002, against El Salvador. He scored his only goal for the national team on October 12, 2005, against Panama. This goal helped the U.S. win 2-0 in a World Cup qualifying match.
International Goals Scored
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 12 October 2005 | Foxboro, United States |  Panama |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Life After Playing Soccer
After retiring from playing, Kyle Martino became a successful television personality.
Soccer Analyst and Host
He worked as a studio analyst and color commentator for NBC Sports. He covered the English Premier League until the 2020/21 season. Before that, he was a color commentator for MLS games on ESPN. Besides talking about soccer, he has also hosted other TV shows. He was featured on Travel Channel's 36 Hours and NBC's Spartan Race.
Running for US Soccer President
On November 6, 2017, Martino announced he would temporarily leave NBC Sports. He wanted to run for president of the United States Soccer Federation. This election took place in February 2018. However, his campaign was not successful.
Career Statistics Summary
| Club performance | League | Cup | Playoffs | North America | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 2002 | Columbus Crew | Major League Soccer | 22 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 30 | 3 |
| 2003 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 22 | 2 | ||
| 2004 | 29 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 33 | 5 | ||
| 2005 | 27 | 5 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 28 | 6 | ||
| 2006 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 6 | 1 | ||
| 2006 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 9 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 26 | 3 | – | – | – | – | 3 | 0 | 29 | 3 | ||
| Career total | 141 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 157 | 15 | ||
Awards and Honors
Columbus Crew
- Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup: 2002
- MLS Supporters' Shield: 2004
Individual Awards
- MLS Rookie of the Year: 2002
Personal Life
Kyle Martino married actress Eva Amurri on October 29, 2011. They have three children together: a daughter named Marlowe and two sons named Major and Mateo. The couple announced their separation on November 15, 2019. Their divorce was finalized in March 2020, just before their third child was born.
See also
In Spanish: Kyle Martino para niños
