Toni Martínez Explained

Toni Martínez
Full Name:Antonio Martínez López[1]
Birth Date:30 June 1997
Birth Place:Barrio del Progreso, Spain
Height:1.80 m[2]
Position:Forward
Currentclub:Porto
Clubnumber:29
Youthclubs1:El Progreso
Youthyears2:2012–2013
Youthclubs2:Murcia
Youthyears3:2013–2016
Youthclubs3:Valencia
Years1:2013–2016
Clubs1:Valencia B
Caps1:16
Goals1:2
Years2:2016–2019
Clubs2:West Ham United
Caps2:0
Goals2:0
Years3:2017
Clubs3:Oxford United (loan)
Caps3:15
Goals3:1
Years4:2018
Clubs4:Valladolid (loan)
Caps4:10
Goals4:1
Years5:2018–2019
Clubs5:Rayo Majadahonda (loan)
Caps5:15
Goals5:2
Years6:2019
Clubs6:Lugo (loan)
Caps6:13
Goals6:1
Years7:2019–2020
Clubs7:Famalicão
Caps7:33
Goals7:10
Years8:2020–
Clubs8:Porto
Caps8:84
Goals8:18
Years9:2021
Clubs9:Porto B
Caps9:1
Goals9:1
Nationalyears1:2014
Nationalteam1:Spain U17
Nationalcaps1:4
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2015
Nationalteam2:Spain U18
Nationalcaps2:2
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2016
Nationalteam3:Spain U19
Nationalcaps3:2
Nationalgoals3:0
Club-Update:23:04, 17 February 2024 (UTC)

Antonio "Toni" Martínez López (pronounced as /es/; born 30 June 1997) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Primeira Liga club Porto. He has represented Spain internationally at youth level.

Martínez began his senior career at Valencia Mestalla, before joining West Ham United in 2016. He was loaned to several English and Spanish clubs, then signed for Famalicão in 2019. The following year, he joined Porto.

Club career

Valencia

Born in Barrio del Progreso, Murcia,[3] Martínez began his footballing career with local side C.F.S. El Progreso and later joined Real Murcia.[4] In 2013, he signed for Valencia. Initially a member of the club's academy Cadete A team (for players aged 14–15 years), Martínez was soon admitted to their reserve side, Valencia Mestalla (Valencia B). He made his senior debut in the Segunda División B (third tier) at the age of 16, coming on as a substitute and scoring in a match against AE Prat on 8 December 2013.[5]

In three seasons at Valencia Mestalla he played 16 games and scored two goals, and made a further eight appearances, a goal and three assists for the club's under-19 squad in the UEFA Youth League.[6]

West Ham United

2016–17: Signing and Oxford loan

In April 2016, Martínez agreed a three-year deal to join English club West Ham United on 1 July 2016 for a fee of around £2.4 million.[7] He was given permission to train with his new teammates by Valencia to help him settle in England and would initially link up with West Ham United's development squad.[3] Martínez was given the number 29 shirt for the 2016–17 season.[8]

He marked his Premier League 2 debut with a goal against Stoke City, in a 3–0 home win. After scoring seven goals in as many games for West Ham United U23 during the first half of the season, he suffered two injury set-backs; the first left him sidelined for six weeks with the player due to return to action on 21 November, but then suffered another injury.[3] His prolific goal-scoring feats continued into January and before long he had racked up a total of 12 goals from 11 games.[9]

On 23 January 2017, he was sent out on loan for the first time in his career, to League One side Oxford United until the end of the 2016–17 season.[10] The player was handed the number 7 shirt by the club. On 28 January, Martínez came on as a substitute to score his first goal for the U's in a 3–0 home win over Newcastle United in the fourth round of the FA Cup.[11] He made his league debut on 5 February in an away fixture against local rivals Swindon Town, a game which Oxford won 2–1,[12] and scored his first league goal, a late consolation goal in a 3–2 home defeat at the hands of league leaders Sheffield United, on 7 March.[13]

2017–18: Debut and Valladolid loan

On 7 January 2018, Martínez made his full West Ham debut in an FA Cup third round tie at Shrewsbury Town, replacing Javier Hernández after 71 minutes in a 0–0 draw.[14] On 1 February, he made a deadline day loan switch to Segunda División club Real Valladolid for the remainder of the 2017–18 season.[15] He contributed with one goal in ten appearances, as his side achieved promotion to La Liga in the play-offs.

2018–19: Rayo Majadahonda and Lugo loans

On 13 August 2018, Martínez joined CF Rayo Majadahonda still in Spain's second division, on loan for the season.[16] He made his debut six days later on the opening weekend of the season against Real Zaragoza, Majadahonda's first game at this level. On as a second-half substitute for Enzo Fernández, he scored the club's first goal in the Segunda División, albeit in a 2–1 defeat.[17]

On 18 January 2019, Martínez rescinded his loan deal with Majadahonda and moved to CD Lugo of the same league, on loan until June.[18] On his debut eight days later, he scored the opener in a 3–2 home win against his former club.[19]

He was released by West Ham on 1 July 2019, when his contract expired.[20]

Famalicão

On 22 July 2019, Martínez joined F.C. Famalicão on a three-year contract.[21] He made his debut on 3 August in the first round of the Taça da Liga, as a 59th-minute substitute for Pedro Gonçalves in a 2–0 home loss to S.C. Covilhã.[22] A week later, in his team's first Primeira Liga match for a quarter of a century, he scored the first goal of the season in a 2–0 win at C.D. Santa Clara.[23]

Martínez scored four goals in five games as Famalicão reached the semi-finals of the Taça de Portugal for the first time since 1946. All came in consecutive games, including one in each leg of a 4–3 aggregate elimination by S.L. Benfica in February 2020.[24] [25] [26] [27]

Porto

On 4 October 2020, Martínez joined Porto on a five-year contract.[28] He won his first silverware on 23 December in the 2020 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, as a last-minute substitute in a 2–0 win over O Clássico rivals S.L. Benfica.[29]

Martínez scored his first Porto goal on 21 November in a 2–0 cup win at G.D. Fabril, opening the score with a bicycle kick;[30] his first league goal was in a 3–0 home win over Moreirense F.C. on 3 January 2021.[31] On 14 February, he dropped into the reserve team in Liga Portugal 2 for a 2–1 loss to visitors U.D. Oliveirense, in which he scored after five minutes.[32]

On 15 August 2021, Martínez scored both of Porto's goals in a 2–1 win on his return to Famalicão.[33] He was sent off on 11 September in a 1–1 draw at Sporting CP for a foul on Sebastián Coates.[34] On 17 February 2022, Martínez scored both goals of a 2–1 home win over S.S. Lazio in the UEFA Europa League last 32; he played more often in the continental tournament as manager Sérgio Conceição prioritised other players for the league.[35]

International career

Martínez played four matches for Spain U17, making his debut on 22 January 2014 against Italy.

In 2015, he received a call from Spain U19 to participate in the 2015 UEFA Under-19 Championship in Greece.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Valencia Mestalla2013–14Segunda División B5151
2014–15Segunda División B8181
2015–16Segunda División B3030
Total162162
West Ham United2016–17Premier League00000000
2017–18Premier League00300030
Total00300030
West Ham United U-23s2016–171212
2017–183232
Total4444
Oxford United (loan)2016–17League One151220000173
Real Valladolid (loan)2017–18Segunda División1010010111
Rayo Majadahonda (loan)2018–19Segunda División16220182
Lugo (loan)2018–19Segunda División131131
Famalicão2019–20Primeira Liga321064103914
2020–21Primeira Liga10000010
Total331064104014
Porto B2020–21Liga Portugal 21111
Porto2020–21Primeira Liga18731203010278
2021–22Primeira Liga1936220102377
2022–23Primeira Liga315764270105013
2023–24Primeira Liga16310101010203
Total8418179922123013431
Career total1883630151022128425759

Honours

Porto

2021–22

2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24[36]

2022–23[37]

2020,[29] 2022, 2024[38]

Individual

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Updated squads for 2017/18 Premier League confirmed . Premier League . 2 February 2018 . 18 February 2018.
  2. Web site: Antonio Martínez. Premier League. 17 January 2018.
  3. Web site: Antonio Martinez. West Ham United F.C. . 14 February 2019.
  4. Web site: El 'doctorado' de Toni Martínez en Oxford . Toni Martínez's 'doctorate' at Oxford . Alberto . Rubio . Marca . 18 February 2017 . 14 February 2019 . es.
  5. Web site: El año de Toni Martínez . The year of Toni Martínez. Diario de Mestalla . es . 14 June 2014 . 24 April 2016.
  6. Web site: Antonio Martínez . UEFA . 1 April 2016 . 12 May 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170821144714/https://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/season=2016/clubs/player=250068973/index.html . 21 August 2017 . live.
  7. Web site: Toni Martinez: West Ham sign teenage Valencia striker . BBC Sport . 22 April 2016 . 24 April 2016.
  8. Web site: 2016/17 squad numbers confirmed . West Ham United F.C. . 3 August 2016 . 6 August 2016.
  9. News: 12 goals in 11 appearances: West Ham's Martinez in 'frightening form'. Long. Sam. 20 December 2016. London Evening Standard. 9 April 2017.
  10. News: Oxford Sign West Ham Striker Martinez . Oxford United F.C. . 23 January 2017 . 23 January 2017.
  11. News: Oxford United 3 – 0 Newcastle United . The Football Association . 28 January 2017 . 28 January 2017.
  12. Web site: Swindon Town 1–2 Oxford United . BBC Sport . 5 February 2017 . 5 February 2017.
  13. Web site: Oxford Utd 2–3 Sheffield Utd . BBC Sport . 7 March 2017 . 8 March 2017.
  14. Web site: Shrewsbury Town 0–0 West Ham . BBC Sport . 7 January 2018 . 8 January 2018.
  15. Web site: Toni Martínez apuntala la vanguardia . Toni Martínez bolsters the forward lines . Real Valladolid . 1 February 2018 . 1 February 2018 . es.
  16. Web site: Martinez signs loan at Rayo Majadahonda . West Ham United F.C.. 13 August 2018. 13 August 2018.
  17. Web site: Real Zaragoza vs. Rayo Majadahonda – 19 August 2018 . Soccerway . 14 February 2019 .
  18. Web site: Martinez links up with La Liga 2 outfit Lugo on loan. West Ham United F.C.. 18 January 2019. 14 February 2019.
  19. Web site: Loan round-up: Martinez scores on Lugo debut. West Ham United F.C.. 26 January 2019. 14 February 2019.
  20. Web site: Andy Carroll, Adrian and Samir Nasri to leave West Ham in summer. 29 May 2019. 30 May 2019. BBC Sport.
  21. Web site: Toni Martínez reforça FC Famalicão. Toni Martínez bolsters FC Famalicão . 22 July 2019. 31 July 2019. F.C. Famalicão. Portuguese.
  22. News: Taça da Liga: Famalicão eliminado na Covilhã. Taça da Liga: Famalicão eliminated by Covilhã . 31 August 2019 . O Minho . 3 August 2019 . Portuguese.
  23. News: Famalicão vence em casa do Santa Clara no regresso à I Liga. Famalicão win at Santa Clara on return to I Liga . 31 August 2019 . SAPO . 10 August 2019 . Portuguese.
  24. News: Golo de Toni Martinez carimba passagem do Famalicão aos 'oitavos' da Taça de Portugal . Toni Martínez goal seals Famalicão's passage to the 'last 16' of the Taça de Portugal. 28 March 2020 . Record . 23 November 2019 . Portuguese.
  25. News: Famalicão atinge 'quartos' após jogo onde tudo aconteceu. Famalicão reach 'quarters' after game where everything happened. 28 March 2020 . Record . 19 December 2019 . Portuguese.
  26. News: Vieira da Silva . Pedro . Benfica vence FC Famalicão no Estádio da Luz . Benfica beat FC Famalicão at the Estádio da Luz. 28 March 2020 . Diário do Minho . 4 February 2020 . Portuguese.
  27. News: Fernandes . Mariana . Benfica empata em Famalicão mas garante presença na final da Taça de Portugal (1–1) – como aconteceu. Benfica draw at Famalicão but guarantee appearance in Taça de Portugal final (1–1) – how it happened. 28 March 2020 . Observador . 11 February 2020 . Portuguese.
  28. News: Toni Martínez assina até 2025. Toni Martínez signs until 2025. 4 October 2020 . FC Porto . 4 October 2020 . Portuguese.
  29. News: Ribeiro . Patrick . FC Porto claim Super Cup joy over rivals Benfica . 24 December 2020 . PortuGOAL . 23 December 2020.
  30. News: Toni Martínez estreia-se a marcar pelo FC Porto com um golaço. Toni Martínez scores for first time for FC Porto with a wondergoal. 4 July 2021 . Notícias ao Minuto . 21 November 2020 . Portuguese.
  31. News: FC Porto assinala estreia a marcar no Dragão: Martínez, Uribe e os três centímetros na conversa. FC Porto mark first goal in the Dragão: Martínez, Uribe and three centimetres in the conversation. 4 July 2021 . O Jogo . 5 January 2021 . Portuguese.
  32. News: Oliveirense vence FC Porto B reforçado com Toni Martinez e Romário Baró. Oliveirense beat an FC Porto B side bolstered by Toni Martínez and Romário Baró. 4 July 2021 . SAPO . 14 February 2021 . Portuguese.
  33. News: Farr . Jamie . PortuGOAL Figure of the Week: Porto's Toni Martínez comes back to haunt Famalicão . 6 October 2021 . 17 August 2021.
  34. News: O lance que terminou com a expulsão de Toni Martínez. The challenge that ended with Toni Martínez's dismissal. 6 October 2021 . Notícias ao Minuto . 11 September 2021 . Portuguese.
  35. News: Marshall . Matthew . FC Porto 2-1 Lazio - Martínez makes his mark in the Europa League . 4 April 2022 . PortuGOAL . 17 February 2022.
  36. Web site: Taça de Portugal. Sérgio Conceição é o terceiro treinador a vencer quatro finais. Portugal Cup. Sérgio Conceição is the third manager to win four finals. Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. pt. 26 May 2024. 27 May 2024.
  37. Web site: Porto beat Sporting 2–0 to lift first Taça da Liga. PortuGOAL. 28 January 2023. 29 January 2023.
  38. News: Porto pull off stunning comeback to beat Sporting in seven-goal Super Taça thriller. 4 August 2024. 4 August 2024. PortuGOAL.