Williams Martínez

For another Uruguayan footballer, see William Martínez (footballer).
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Martínez and the second or maternal family name is Fracchia.
Williams Martínez
Personal information
Full name Williams Guillermo Martínez Fracchia
Date of birth (1982-12-18)18 December 1982
Place of birth Montevideo, Uruguay
Date of death 17 July 2021(2021-07-17) (aged 38)
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Youth career
Defensor Sporting
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2008 Defensor Sporting 93 (8)
2003 → Ferro Carril (loan)
2006 → West Brom (loan) 2 (1)
2008–2009 Valenciennes 7 (0)
2008–2009 → Reims (loan) 17 (0)
2009–2011 Defensor Sporting 23 (0)
2010–2011 → Chacarita Juniors (loan) 26 (0)
2011–2012 Huachipato 13 (0)
2012–2013 Palestino 26 (0)
2013–2014 Cerro Porteño 0 (0)
2014–2015 River Plate Montevideo 25 (1)
2015–2016 Cerro 30 (2)
2016 Deportivo Táchira 15 (0)
2016 Rampla Juniors 13 (0)
2017–2018 River Plate Montevideo 59 (4)
2019 Ceuta 6 (1)
2020–2021 Rampla Juniors 20 (0)
2021 Villa Teresa 3 (0)
International career
2003 Uruguay 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Williams Martínez Fracchia (18 December 1982 – 17 July 2021) was a Uruguayan professional footballer who played as a centre-back.

He played for Defensor Sporting, River Plate Montevideo, Cerro and Rampla Juniors in the Uruguayan Primera División, as well as playing in the top divisions of football in Chile, Paraguay and Venezuela and the second division in Argentina. Abroad, he had brief spells in the English Premier League with West Bromwich Albion and French Ligue 1 with Valenciennes.

Martínez played one game for Uruguay in 2003. He died by suicide in 2021 aged 38, while a player of Villa Teresa.

Club career

Defensor and West Browmwich

Born in Montevideo and the holder of an Italian passport,[1] Martínez began his professional career at Defensor Sporting, where he became captain. On 31 January 2006, he moved to Premier League team West Bromwich Albion on loan for the rest of the season with the option to make it permanent. Manager Bryan Robson, who signed him on the recommendation of former Uruguay international striker Daniel Fonseca, hoped that Martínez would be as good as fellow West Brom centre-back Curtis Davies.[2]

Martínez made his West Brom debut on 11 February 2006 in a 6–1 loss at Fulham, coming on at half time as a substitute for Thomas Gaardsøe; he received a yellow card in the game, and afterwards, manager Robson called the entire defence "shocking".[3] His only other game was a start away at Everton in which he scored to put his team 2–0 up, but also conceded a penalty with a late foul on Mikel Arteta, from which Duncan Ferguson scored the equaliser in a 2–2 draw.[4]

Valenciennes

In January 2008, Martínez returned to Europe on a 21⁄2-year deal at Valenciennes FC of the French Ligue 1, for a fee of €1.2 million.[5][6] On his debut on 12 January, the team won 2–0 at home to AS Saint-Étienne.[7] In his final game on 23 February, he and Le Mans FC player Anthony Le Tallec were sent off for fighting in a brawl that started when Valenciennes' Steve Savidan scored while Le Mans' Romaric was lying injured; Le Mans won 2–1 away.[8]

For the 2008–09 season, Martínez was loaned to Stade de Reims in Ligue 2.[9]

Return to South America

In August 2009, Martínez returned to Defensor after cancelling his Valenciennes contract a year early, as he did not feature in the plans of manager Philippe Montanier.[10] He was loaned a year later to Chacarita Juniors in the Argentine second-tier Primera Nacional. After two years in the Chilean Primera División with Huachipato FC and Club Deportivo Palestino, he signed in January 2013 for Cerro Porteño in the Paraguayan Primera División.[11] With the club, he made his debut in continental tournaments in the Copa Libertadores; on 14 February he scored a consolation in the opening 2–1 loss at Colombia's Deportes Tolima,[12] and on 7 March he was sent off in a home loss by the same score to Independiente Santa Fe from the same country.[13]

After playing in the Uruguayan Primera División for Club Atlético River Plate (Montevideo) and C.A. Cerro, Martínez moved in January 2016 to Deportivo Táchira F.C. in the Venezuelan Primera División.[14] Having not agreed on a renewal, he was released in June.[15]

Martínez returned to his country's top flight at Rampla Juniors and River Plate again. In February 2019, he made a return to European football leagues for the first time in nearly a decade, as the 36-year-old signed for AD Ceuta FC in the Spanish fourth-tier Tercera División.[1] He went back to Rampla, now in the Uruguayan Segunda División, and ended his career with Villa Teresa in the same league.[16]

International career

Martínez played one game for Uruguay national team on 4 February 2003 at the Lunar New Year Cup. Accompanying Diego Lugano in central defence, the team drew 1–1 in the final against Iran in Hong Kong before winning 4–2 in a penalty shootout.[17]

Death

Martínez died on 17 July 2021 of suicide, aged 38, as a result of a depression caused by COVID-19-related inactivity.[18] The Uruguayan Football Association suspended matches all remaining fixtures of the weekend upon learning of his death.[19]

References

  1. ^ a b "El Ceuta ficha al veterano central ítalo-uruguayo Williams Martínez" [Ceuta sign Italo-Uruguayan veteran centre-back Williams Martínez] (in Spanish). Ceuta Deportiva. 27 February 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  2. ^ "WBA bring in Uruguayan defender". BBC Sport. 31 January 2006. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  3. ^ "Fulham 6–1 West Brom". BBC Sport. 11 February 2006. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Everton 2–2 West Brom". BBC. 7 May 2006. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
  5. ^ "Les tops et les flops des mercatos hivernaux du VAFC" [The tops and flops of VAFC's winter transfer windows]. La Voix du Nord (in French). 4 January 2018. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  6. ^ Duchesne, Vincent (6 January 2008). "Belhadj file à Lens" [Belhadj heads to Lille]. Le Figaro (in French). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  7. ^ Kenigsberg, Arnaud (12 January 2018). "VA comme en 2007" [VA like in 2007]. Le Figaro (in French). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  8. ^ Lyttleton, Ben (26 February 2008). "Le Mans show fight for Europe". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  9. ^ Mianat, Maxime (31 July 2008). "Prête pour l'allumage" [Ready to go]. Le Figaro (in French). Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  10. ^ "Vuelve Williams Martínez" [Williams Martínez returns] (in Spanish). Fútbol.uy. 17 August 2009. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  11. ^ "Williams Martínez llega a cubrir un gran vacío en Cerro" [Williams Martínez arrives to fill a big hole in Cerro] (in Spanish). Paraguay.com. 18 January 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  12. ^ "Tolima derrota a un pálido Cerro". ABC Color (in Spanish). 14 February 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  13. ^ "¡Triunfazo de Santa Fe en Asunción! Venció 1-2 a Cerro Porteño" [Massive triumph for Santa Fe in Asunción! They beat Cerro Porteño 1-2] (in Spanish). Fútbol Red. 7 March 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  14. ^ "Williams Martínez reforzará la defensa del Táchira" [Williams Martínez will bolster Táchira's defence] (in Spanish). Noticias.com.ve. 8 January 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  15. ^ "Martínez y Moreno no seguirán en el Deportivo Táchira" [Martínez and Moreno will not continue at Deportivo Táchira] (in Spanish). La Vinotinto. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  16. ^ "Conmoción en Uruguay por suicidio del futbolista Williams Martínez" [Commotion in Uruguay after the suicide of footballer Williams Martínez]. Líbero (in Spanish). 18 July 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  17. ^ "El día que Williams Martínez fue Celeste: empate con Irán y dupla con un joven Diego Lugano" [The day that Williams Martínez was Sky Blue: draw with Iran and tandem with a young Diego Lugano]. El País (Uruguay) (in Spanish). 19 July 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  18. ^ "Ex jugador de Palestino y Huachipato Williams Martínez falleció a los 38 años" [Former Palestino and Huachipato player Williams Martínez died aged 38] (in Spanish). Al Aire Libre. 17 July 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  19. ^ "Se suspende el fútbol uruguayo tras el suicidio del futbolista Williams Martínez" [Uruguayan football suspended after the suicide of footballer Williams Martínez]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 18 July 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2023.