Diego Martins (footballer, born 1983)
{{short description|Brazilian footballer}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Diego Martins
| image = Diego Martins midfield.jpg
| fullname = Diego José Martins
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|6|19}}
| birth_place = Porangatu, Brazil
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=11}}
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = Charlotte Eagles
| clubnumber = 8
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Gama
| years1 = 2003–2004
| clubs1 = Gama
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 2005
| clubs2 = Capital FC
| caps2 =
| goals2 =
| years3 = 2006
| clubs3 = Anapolina
| caps3 =
| goals3 =
| years4 = 2007–2008
| clubs4 = Aves
| caps4 = 1
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2008
| clubs5 = Anapolina
| caps5 =
| goals5 =
| years6 = 2009
| clubs6 = Ceilândia
| caps6 =
| goals6 =
| years7 = 2009–
| clubs7 = Charlotte Eagles
| caps7 = 30
| goals7 = 4
| years8 = 2011
| clubs8 = Rochester Lancers (indoor)
| caps8 = 1
| goals8 = 0
| nationalyears1 =
| nationalteam1 =
| nationalcaps1 =
| nationalgoals1 =
| medaltemplates =
| pcupdate = February 25th, 2012
| ntupdate =
}}
Diego José Martins (born June 19, 1983 in Porangatu) is a Brazilian footballer. His previous team was Charlotte Eagles in the USL Professional Division and Rochester Lancers.
Career
=Early career=
Martins grew up playing in the youth system for Gama, where he played as an amateur for the Gama Júniors. Martins led his club to three amateur Brasília state championships, scoring 18 goals, before being called up to the senior Gama team in 2003, at age 17.
=Professional=
Martins won two professional Brasília state championships and a Brazilian Serie C National Championship with Gama, and was the team MVP in 2004; his performances with the team led to him signing with Capital FC in 2005. While playing for Capital, Martins scored a famous goal known as the "goal Pelé couldn't score", looping a shot over the opposition goalkeeper from 50 yards out.
Martins transferred to Anapolina of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B in 2006, where he was nominated Player of the Week three times, and was the team's end-of-season MVP. His play with Anápolis caught the eye of Portuguese scouts, leading to him moving to Aves in the Portuguese Liga in 2007. After spending two years rubbing shoulders with teams such as Benfica, Sporting CP and FC Porto, Martins took an opportunity to move to the United States, and signed with the Charlotte Eagles of the USL Second Division in early 2009.{{Cite web |url=http://www.charlotteeagles.com/home/321446.html |title=Eagles Add Second Brazilian Star |access-date=2009-06-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303230510/http://www.charlotteeagles.com/home/321446.html |archive-date=2016-03-03 |url-status=dead }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.charlotteeagles.com/eaglesproteam/eaglesroster/319696.html Charlotte Eagles bio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929034315/http://www.charlotteeagles.com/eaglesproteam/eaglesroster/319696.html |date=2011-09-29 }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martins, Diego}}
Category:Brazilian men's footballers
Category:Sociedade Esportiva do Gama players
Category:Associação Atlética Anapolina players
Category:Ceilândia Esporte Clube players
Category:Charlotte Eagles players
Category:USL Second Division players
Category:USL Championship players
Category:Brazilian expatriates in Portugal
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal
Category:Brazilian expatriates in the United States
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:21st-century Brazilian sportsmen