Richard Martinez (footballer)

Richard Andrew Martinez (born April 2, 1988 in Highland, New York) is an American-born former Puerto Rican footballer.

Richard Martinez
Personal information
Full name Richard Andrew Martinez
Date of birth (1988-04-02) April 2, 1988
Place of birth Highland, New York, United States
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
2006–2009 Hofstra Pride
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2008 Westchester Flames 24 (0)
2008 San Jose Frogs 3 (0)
2009 Long Island Rough Riders 16 (0)
2010–2012 Puerto Rico Islanders 76 (2)
National team‡
2008–2012 Puerto Rico 16 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of September 30, 2012
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of June 16, 2012

Career

Youth and college

Martinez attended Our Lady of Lourdes High School, who he helped to a pair of league championships and one sectional championship, and for whom he scored 42 goals and had 26 assists. He was a four-time All-conference, three-time scholar-athlete selection. He was a member of his region's the Olympic Development Program from 2000–2005, won a state cup championship in 2002, and played on the Super-Y League ODP team in 2003 and 2005,[1] before playing college soccer at Hofstra University from 2006 to 2009.

At Hofstra, Martinez was honored by the Colonial Athletic Association with a selection to the All-Rookies Team in 2006, the CAA Second Team in 2007, the CAA First Team and NSCAA-All Southeast Region Team in 2008. In 2009, he was named CAA Defender of the Year, in addition to another appearance on the CAA First Team.[2]

Martinez also played three years in the USL Premier Development League, from 2007 to 2008 for the Westchester Flames, also spent 2008 with the San Jose Frogs and in 2009 for the Long Island Rough Riders.[3]

Professional

On February 17, 2010 Martinez signed with the Puerto Rico Islanders.[4]

He made his professional debut on April 16, 2010, in a 2010 CFU Club Championship game against Haitian side Racing des Gonaïves,[5] and made his league debut on April 21, 2010 in a 3-1 victory over NSC Minnesota Stars.[6]

He scored his first professional goal in a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace Baltimore. in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Also, he recorded his first assist in the first leg of 2010 USSF D-2 playoffs in a 2-0 win over the first seeded Rochester Rhinos. During his rookie season in 2010, Martinez played in 55 of 59 games throughout the Caribbean Cup Championships, USSF D-2 League, Concacaf Champions League, and DirecTV SuperCopa, as well as helping the Islanders win their first league championship in the history of the club.

International

Martinez was called up in January, 2008 to join the Puerto Rico national football team at training camp for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification. He would play in the 2-0 victory against Bermuda, which would be Puerto Rico first victory in over 14 years. He would play in 4 more games during that year including the 2-2 draw against Honduras.[7] In 2010, he helped Puerto Rico beat Anguilla 3-1 in the first round of the 2010 Digicel Cup.

Honors

Puerto Rico Islanders

Personal life

Martinez is the youngest of three children born to Edward and Annette Martinez. He has an older sister named Erika and an older brother named Daniel.

References
  1. "Hofstra Player Bio". Gohofstra.com. September 4, 2009. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  2. "Puerto Rico signs three new players". Usl1.uslsoccer.com. February 18, 2010. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  3. "Martinez Signs for Puerto Rico Islanders". Liroughriders.com. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  4. "Martínez, Nurse y Sandoval a la Plantilla 2010 de los Puerto Rico Islanders". Prislandersfc.com. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  5. "CFU Club Championship 2010". Concacaf.globalsportsmedia.com. April 16, 2010. Archived from the original on August 11, 2010. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  6. "USSF Division-2 Pro League". Ussf.demosphere.com. April 21, 2010. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  7. Rodriguez, Justin (April 13, 2008). "Hofstra's Martinez shines for Puerto Rico". Soccernet.espn.go.com. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
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