Walmer Martinez

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Walmer Martinez

|image = HFDvPGH 2021-05-15 - Walmer Martinez (51181735482) (cropped).jpg

|caption = Martinez with Hartford Athletic in 2021

|fullname = Walmer Osmar Gómez Martínez{{cite web |url=https://mcusercontent.com/78d3589fb61466b549ff752e5/files/13f53a41-b3e5-4dc2-6ade-c97d70fdc16c/Group_A_final.pdf |title=Group A, 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup: El Salvador |publisher=CONCACAF |page=2 |accessdate=1 July 2021}}

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|8|17|df=y}}

|birth_place = Santa Cruz, California, United States

|height = {{height|ft=5|in=10}}

|position = Full-back
Winger
Forward

|currentclub = AV Alta FC

|clubnumber = 80

|youthyears1 =

|youthclubs1 =

|collegeyears1 = 2016–2017

|college1 = Cabrillo Seahawks

|collegecaps1 = 35

|collegegoals1 = 22

|collegeyears2 = 2018–2019

|college2 = Cal State Monterey Bay Otters

|collegecaps2 = 35

|collegegoals2 = 17

|years1 = 2018–2019

|clubs1 = Santa Cruz Breakers

|caps1 = 24

|goals1 = 10

|years2 = 2019

|clubs2 = Des Moines Menace

|caps2 = 2

|goals2 = 0

|years3 = 2020

|clubs3 = Project 51O

|caps3 = 1

|goals3 = 0

|years4 = 2021

|clubs4 = Hartford Athletic

|caps4 = 19

|goals4 = 2

|years5 = 2022–2024

|clubs5 = Monterey Bay

|caps5 = 83

|goals5 = 2

|years6 = 2025–

|clubs6 = AV Alta FC

|caps6 = 3

|goals6 = 0

|nationalyears1 = 2021–

| nationalteam1 = El Salvador

| nationalcaps1 = 18

| nationalgoals1 = 2

|medaltemplates =

|club-update = 12:40, 10 May 2025 (UTC)

|nationalteam-update = 15:58, 5 April 2022 (UTC)

}}

Walmer Osmar Gómez Martínez (born 17 August 1998) is a professional footballer who currently plays for USL League One side AV Alta FC. Born in the United States, he plays for the El Salvador national team.

Early life

Martinez was born in Santa Cruz, California to a Honduran father and his mother Lucila who was from Victoria, Cabañas, El Salvador.{{cite web

| title =Who is Walmer Martinez, the reinforcement of the senior team?

| url =https://www.elgrafico.com/futbol/Quien-es-Walmer-Martinez-el-refuerzo-de-la-seleccion-mayor-20210510-0009.html

| website =elgrafico.com

| date = May 10, 2021

| access-date = June 8, 2021}}

Walmer played for the Santa Cruz Breakers academy during his youth soccer and high school career.{{Cite web |last=Footy |first=Top Tier |title=About |url=https://toptierfooty.com/about |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=toptierfooty.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-05-03 |title=Monterey Bay F.C. Recruits Santa Cruz County Players |url=https://www.goodtimes.sc/monterey-bay-f-c-recruits-santa-cruz-county-players/ |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=Good Times |language=en-US}} He attended Cypress Charter School from 2012-13 where he played soccer as a freshman before attending Soquel High School, though he did not play high school soccer while attending the latter school.

Club career

= Youth and college =

Martinez attended Cabrillo College in 2016, playing two seasons with the Seahawks, scoring 22 goals in 35 appearances. In 2018, Martinez transferred to California State University, Monterey Bay where he scored 17 goals in 35 appearances.{{Cite web|url=https://otterathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/walmer-martinez/4634|title=Walmer Martinez - Men's Soccer|website=CSU Monterey Bay Athletics}}

While at college, Martinez appeared for USL League Two side Santa Cruz Breakers in both 2018{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/roster_players/24463200?subseason=482928|title=Santa Cruz Breakers FC - 2018 Regular Season - Roster - # - Walmer Martinez -|website=www.uslleaguetwo.com}} and 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/roster_players/32387594?subseason=583580|title=Santa Cruz Breakers FC | uslleaguetwo.com|website=www.uslleaguetwo.com}} He also appeared for Des Moines Menace towards the end of their 2019 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/roster_players/34070182?subseason=625319|title=Des Moines Menace | uslleaguetwo.com|website=www.uslleaguetwo.com}}

= Professional =

Martinez signed with USL Championship side Hartford Athletic on April 12, 2021, after attending Hartford's Invitational Combine.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hartfordathletic.com/news_article/show/1157459-hartford-athletic-signs-forward-walmer-martinez-|title=Hartford Athletic Signs Forward Walmer Martinez|first=Hartford|last=Athletic|date=April 12, 2021|website=Hartford Athletic | Connecticut's Professional Soccer Team}} Martinez scored his first professional goals on October 26, 2021, when he scored a brace in Hartfrd's 2–0 win over the Charleston Battery.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1190940|title=Matchday Report: Martinez Strikes Twice as Athletic Down Battery|date=26 October 2021}}

On 22 December 2021, Martinez was announced as the first-ever signing by USL Championship expansion club Monterey Bay FC.{{cite web |title=Monterey Bay F.C. Announces Walmer Martinez as First Signing in Club's History |url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1200108 |website=USLChampionship.com |access-date=22 December 2021}} Following the 2024 season, Monterey declined to pick up his contract option and he became a free agent.{{Cite web|url=https://www.montereybayfc.com/news/2024/11/19/roster-decisions/|title=Monterey Bay Football Club Announces 2025 Roster Decisions}}

On 7 February 2025, Martinez joined USL League One side AV Alta FC ahead of their inaugural season.https://www.uslleagueone.com/news_article/show/1330825

International career

Coach Hugo Pérez had approached Martinez about playing for the El Salvador under-23 for the 2020 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship in March 2021, but he was unable to obtain a passport in time.

Martinez debuted with the El Salvador national football team in a 7–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification win over United States Virgin Islands on 5 June 2021 when he came on as a substitute.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/nccamerica/matches/match/400136228/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602213939/https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/nccamerica/matches/match/400136228/|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 2, 2021|title=FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Qualifiers - North, Central America and Caribbean - Matches - US Virgin Islands - El Salvador |website=www.fifa.com}}

Martinez scored his first goal for El Salvador on June 8, 2021, in the team's 3–0 win over Antigua and Barbuda.{{cite web

| title =¡GRITAMOS GOL!

| url =https://twitter.com/LaSelecta_SLV/status/1402463265351942147?s=20

| website = twitter

| date = June 8, 2021

| access-date = June 9, 2021}}

class="wikitable sortable" \|+ List of international goals scored by Walmer Martinez
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	8 June 2021	Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador,El Salvador	{{fb\|ATG}}	3-0	3-0	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
2	July 14, 2021	Toyota Stadium, Frisco, United States	{{fb\|TRI}}	2-0	2-0	2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ List of international goals scored by Walmer Martinez

No.

Date

Venue

Opponent

Score

Result

Competition

8 June 2021

Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador,El Salvador

3-0