Martínez with Porto in 2014
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Personal information | |||
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Full name | Jackson Arley Martínez Valencia | ||
Date of birth | 3 October 1986 | ||
Place of birth | Quibdó, Colombia | ||
Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
Playing position | Forward | ||
Club information | |||
Current team
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Guangzhou Evergrande | ||
Number | 9 | ||
Youth career | |||
Independiente Medellín | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2004–2009 | Independiente Medellín | 107 | (41) |
2009–2012 | Chiapas | 64 | (33) |
2012–2015 | Porto | 90 | (67) |
2015–2016 | Atlético Madrid | 15 | (2) |
2016– | Guangzhou Evergrande | 10 | (4) |
National team‡ | |||
2009– | Colombia | 40 | (10) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30 October 2016. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 5 June 2016 |
Jackson Arley Martínez Valencia (pronounced: [ˈʒaksom marˈtines]; born 3 October 1986) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao and the Colombia national team.
He is often nicknamed "Cha Cha Cha" for his dance-like moves on the pitch. Noted columnist Tim Vickery describes him as "an out-and-out goalscorer, a front-to-goal centre-forward who can finish off both feet." He was Primeira Liga's top scorer in all three of his seasons at FC Porto.
Martínez has represented Colombia at international level since 2009, playing at the 2011 and 2015 Copa América, as well as the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
In 2009, Martínez was the top goalscorer in the top-tier Categoría Primera A in Colombia, with 18 goals. He also led Independiente Medellín to its fifth league title.
After several seasons in Colombia, Martínez attracted interest from teams in Argentina and Mexico, and was eventually signed by Chiapas from the Liga MX. He ended the first season with nine goals, placing him fourth in the top scorer's table. In the Copa Libertadores 2011, Martínez was a key player for Chiapas as they reached the quarter-finals. He was named captain of the squad at the beginning of the Clausura 2012 season, finishing the season scoring over 30 goals for the season. Along with his performances for the Colombian national team, his outstanding performances in Mexico subsequently led to interest from Portuguese team FC Porto.