Berto (footballer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Berto

| image =

| fullname = Alberto Martínez Díaz

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|10|27|df=y}}

| birth_place = Lugo, Spain

| height = {{height|m=1.70}}

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Figaredo

| years1 = 1981–1984 | clubs1 = Caudal | caps1 = | goals1 =

| years2 = 1984–1999 | clubs2 = Oviedo | caps2 = 447 | goals2 = 19

| years3 = 1999–2001 | clubs3 = Ponferradina | caps3 = 46 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2001–2003 | clubs4 = Águilas | caps4 = | goals4 =

| years5 = 2003–2004 | clubs5 = Astur | caps5 = | goals5 =

| totalcaps = | totalgoals =

| nationalyears1 = 1991 | nationalteam1 = Spain | nationalcaps1 = 1 | nationalgoals1 = 0

}}

Alberto Martínez Díaz (born 27 October 1962), known as Berto ({{IPA|es|ˈbeɾto}}), is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Club career

Born in Lugo, Galicia, Berto's career was mainly associated to Real Oviedo for which he played 15 seasons, appearing in a team-best 512 official matches.{{cite news|url=https://www.lne.es/pi-90-aniversario-del-real-oviedo/2016/03/28/berto-motorin-ostenta-record-numero/1902923.html|title=Berto "Motorín" ostenta el récord de número de partidos jugados con el Oviedo|trans-title=Berto "Little Engine" holds record for number of matches played with Oviedo|newspaper=La Nueva España|language=Spanish|date=28 March 2016|accessdate=10 December 2018}} He signed in 1984 from Asturias neighbours Caudal Deportivo in the lower leagues, and spent his first four years in the Segunda División, promoting to La Liga in 1988.

Berto made his debut in the Spanish top flight on 3 September 1988, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 home win against Real Sociedad and scoring one of his six league goals during the campaign.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1988/09/04/pagina-19/1183990/pdf.html|title=1–0: El Oviedo volvió con victoria|trans-title=1–0: Oviedo returned with a win|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|last=García|first=Víctor|language=Spanish|date=4 September 1988|accessdate=10 December 2018}} He only competed at that level until his departure in 1999, more often than not as a starter and captain, and added two appearances in the UEFA Cup with his main club, both in the 1991–92 edition.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1991/09/20/pagina-10/1242831/pdf.html|title=Una corta renta para el Oviedo|trans-title=Short lead for Oviedo|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|last=Fernández|first=Víctor|language=Spanish|date=20 September 1991|accessdate=3 December 2014}}

Berto retired from football in 2004 at nearly 42 years of age, after spells with SD Ponferradina in the Segunda División B and amateurs Águilas CF and Astur CF.{{cite news|url=http://www.diariodeleon.es/noticias/deportes/homenajean-berto-jugar-40-anos_47383.html|title=Homenajean a Berto por jugar con 40 años|trans-title=Berto honoured for playing at the age of 40|newspaper=Diario de León|language=Spanish|date=26 October 2002|accessdate=3 December 2014}} For his transfer to the latter, he revealed he received death threats.{{cite news|url=http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/hemeroteca/2004/01/13/2324711.shtml|title=Berto, del Oviedo ACF, denuncia que recibió amenazas de muerte|trans-title=Berto, from Oviedo ACF, denounces having received death threats|newspaper=La Voz de Galicia|language=Spanish|date=13 January 2004|accessdate=3 December 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106093027/http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/hemeroteca/2004/01/13/2324711.shtml|archive-date=6 January 2015}}

International career

Berto earned one cap for Spain, the occurrence taking place on 4 September 1991 as he came on as a 56th minute substitute for Manolo in a 2–1 friendly victory over Uruguay in Oviedo.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1991/09/05/pagina-7/1245811/pdf.html|title=Tiempo de llorar, tiempo de soñar|trans-title=A time to cry, a time to dream|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|last=Ortiz|first=Fabián|language=Spanish|date=5 September 1991|accessdate=3 December 2014}}