Quique Martín Explained

Quique Martín
Full Name:Enrique Martín Sánchez
Birth Date:29 December 1972
Birth Place:Avilés, Spain
Height:1.72 m
Position:Forward
Youthclubs1:Avilés
Youthyears2:1989–1992
Youthclubs2:Barcelona
Years1:1992–1995
Caps1:73
Goals1:7
Years2:1995–1997
Caps2:68
Goals2:19
Years3:1997–1999
Caps3:53
Goals3:4
Years4:1999–2001
Caps4:70
Goals4:18
Years5:2001–2002
Caps5:14
Goals5:0
Years6:2002–2003
Caps6:33
Goals6:5
Years7:2003–2005
Caps7:66
Goals7:8
Years8:2005–2011
Caps8:181
Goals8:43
Totalcaps:558
Totalgoals:104
Nationalyears1:1990–1991
Nationalcaps1:5
Nationalgoals1:0

Enrique 'Quique' Martín Sánchez (born 29 December 1972) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a forward.

He represented six teams in a 19-year senior career, mainly Salamanca (three spells). He amassed La Liga totals of 104 games and eight goals over the course of four seasons, with Mérida, Espanyol and Villarreal.[1]

Career

Martín was born in Avilés, Asturias.[2] An unsuccessful youth graduate at FC Barcelona – he was only a member of the reserve squad – he went on to represent five clubs in his extensive professional career (CP Mérida, RCD Espanyol, UD Salamanca, Villarreal CF and Terrassa FC), in both La Liga and the Segunda División. His debut in the Spanish top flight arrived in the 1995–96 season with Mérida, appearing in 37 games in an eventual relegation; he contributed a career-best 15 goals the following campaign, as the team returned to where they had come from.[3]

With Castile and León's Salamanca, Martín was instrumental in the 2006 promotion from Segunda División B. He finished 2007–08 as the player with the most appearances in the second tier, 338, adding that distinction to 13 league goals – squad best, joint-tenth in the competition – which earned him a one-year contract extension aged almost 36.[4]

In 2009–10, Martín played almost 1,000 minutes less than the previous season due to injury problems, and he also did not manage to find the net after totalling 25 goals over the last two.[5] [6] Salamanca barely avoided relegation, finishing in 16th position.[7]

In June 2011, after the side was relegated, with him only scoring once through a penalty,[5] Martín retired from football at 38,[8] having appeared in 529 games across both major levels of Spanish football (98 goals), 425 of those in the second division.[9]

Notes and References

  1. News: Quique Martín, el más veterano de Segunda. Quique Martín, most veteran in Segunda. Diario AS. R.. Benito. es. 29 December 2010. 10 October 2024.
  2. News: Quique Martín se confiesa con el corazón partido en el Avilés-UDS. Quique Martín admits his heart is torn in two in Avilés-UDS. La Gaceta de Salamanca. es. 18 October 2012. 11 October 2024.
  3. News: Quique Martín vuelve a ser la referencia charra a los 34 años. Quique Martín is again the charra reference at the age of 34. La Voz de Galicia. Paulo. Alonso Lois. es. 22 December 2007. 12 April 2018.
  4. News: Quique Martín renueva con el Salamanca una temporada más. Quique Martín renews with Salamanca one more season. Marca. es. 11 July 2008. 13 June 2010.
  5. News: La UDS tampoco cuenta con Quique Martín para la Segunda División B. UDS do not count on Quique Martín for Segunda División B as well. La Gaceta de Salamanca. es. 14 June 2011. 11 October 2024.
  6. Web site: Los máximos goleadores de la historia de la Unión Deportiva Salamanca. The top scorers in the history of Unión Deportiva Salamanca. Las Ganas de Ganar. Ignacio. Bellido. es. 26 October 2022. 11 October 2024.
  7. News: El Salamanca sufre para salvar la categoría. Salamanca suffer to stay up. Marca. es. 19 June 2010. 11 October 2024.
  8. News: Quique Martín, con el corazón dividido. Quique Martín, heart torn in two. El Comercio. Nacho. Gutiérrez. es. 17 October 2012. 12 April 2018.
  9. News: Nino se convertirá mañana en el futbolista que más partidos ha jugado en Segunda. Nino will become tomorrow in footballer with more matches in Segunda. Diario Información. Julián. Palomar. es. 9 October 2015. 12 April 2018.