Diego Fernando Martínez

Diego Fernando Martínez Sierra (born May 9, 1983 in Guayaquil, Ecuador) is an Ecuadorian footballer who currently plays for Macará in the Campeonato Ecuatoriano de Fútbol.

Amateur Football

LDU Estudiantil, one of the smallest clubs from Guayaquil, acquired the transfer of Martinez in 1997 with a verbal deal between the president of the club and his college coach. Martinez joined the club the next year.

Martinez made his debut in the 1998 season. His ability to attack earned him a starting position in that team. Martinez played an outstanding tournament with 9 goals in 15 appearances.

In 1999, Club 9 de Octubre, also of Guayaquil, showed much interest in Martinez and bought his transfer. He would go on to play two and a half years in the "Celinegros" (sky blue-black) team.

Career

The 27 goals scored with Club 9 de Octubre opened a lot of doors to important Ecuadorian clubs such as Barcelona SC, LDU Quito, Sociedad Deportiva Aucas and Club Deportivo Cuenca, but it was eventually Club Deportivo Técnico Universitario who bought him in a two year deal. His debut in professional soccer was against Club Deportivo Saquisilíand scored the first goal of his team.

In the next season Martinez was acquired by local rivals Club Social y Deportivo Macará. A great season in 2003-04 catapulted him to play in Europe for SV Ried in the Austrian Bundesliga. However he never fully developed to the European style and only saw action in two games playing as a substitute. He was capped internationally around that time for an unofficial match between the Ecuadorian national team and Olmedo in Riobamba.

Martinez returned to Ecuador to play in Deportivo Cuenca where he scored 13 goals in 39 games. Macará hired him the next year to play in Serie A.

Martinez was dismissed from the team for disciplinary problems in 2007 and is currently without a team.