Afonso Martins

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Martins and the second or paternal family name is Agra.
Afonso Martins
Personal information
Full name Afonso Paulo Martins da Agra
Date of birth (1973-04-11) 11 April 1973 (age 51)
Place of birth Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1991 Nancy B
1991–1995 Nancy 55 (2)
1995–2002 Sporting CP 66 (5)
2001–2002 Sporting CP B 28 (12)
2002–2003 Moreirense 26 (7)
2003–2004 Vitória Guimarães 12 (0)
2004–2005 Moreirense 24 (2)
2006–2007 Lixa 16 (2)
Total 227 (30)
International career
1995–1996 Portugal U21 9 (2)
1996 Portugal U23 6 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Afonso Paulo Martins da Agra (born 11 April 1973), known as Martins, is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Club career

Born in Póvoa de Varzim, Martins family emigrated to France when he was very young, and he first played professionally with AS Nancy Lorraine, spending three seasons at the club. In 1995–96 he returned to Portugal, signing for Sporting CP.[1]

Martins' tenure at the Primeira Liga side was an inconsistent one: he was a starter initially but, towards the end, was often demoted to the reserves and participated very little in the 2000 and 2002 championship conquests (no games whatsoever in the latter, as he was left without a place in the squad and only trained separately).[2][3][1]

Martins finished his career in June 2007 at the age of 34, after spells with Moreirense FC,[3] Vitória S.C. and lowly F.C. Lixa. He did not have a club in the 2005–06 campaign.

International career

Martins played for the Portugal national team at under-21 level, also appearing at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta where he scored both goals in the 2–0 win over Tunisia in the first match,[4] as the country eventually finished fourth.[5]

Honours

Sporting CP

References

  1. ^ a b c Cunha, Pedro Jorge (24 May 2020). "Afonso de Xangô: campeão do Sporting em 2000 é Pai de Santo" [Afonso de Xangô: Sporting champion in 2000 is a Saint's Father] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  2. ^ Afonso Martins e Pedrosa já treinam em Alvalade (Afonso Martins and Pedrosa already training at Alvalade); Record, 10 August 1999 (in Portuguese)
  3. ^ a b Afonso Martins (Moreirense) diz que foi «castigado» no Sporting (Afonso Martins (Moreirense) says he was "punished" at Sporting); TVI 24, 15 March 2003 (in Portuguese)
  4. ^ ‘Españoles’ salvadores (Saving 'Spaniards'); Mundo Deportivo, 22 July 1996 (in Spanish)
  5. ^ "Portugal-Brasil: o pesadelo das Olimpíadas de 96 segundo Ronaldo e Bebeto" [Portugal-Brazil: the nightmare of the 96 Olympics according to Ronaldo and Bebeto] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 27 March 2003. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Sporting-Vilanovense, 3–1 (Jardel 44 PG, 83 e 90; Nuno Rocha 33 GP)" [Sporting-Vilanovense, 3–1 (Jardel 44 PK, 83 and 90; Nuno Rocha 33 PK)] (in Portuguese). Record. 17 November 2001. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  7. ^ "Os «Príncipes» de Octávio em 1994/95" [Octávio's "Princes" in 1994/95] (in Portuguese). Record. 31 January 2001. Retrieved 15 January 2024.