Williams Martínez has died at the age of 38, his club Villa Teresa from Uruguay announced on Sunday. The defender has taken his own life, according to Uruguayan media. At the request of the players’ union, the three league games in Uruguay that were scheduled for Sunday have been canceled.
Martínez played in his rich career for clubs in Uruguay, Argentina, England, France, Chile, Paraguay, Venezuela and Spain. He was loaned to West Bromwich Albion by Uruguayan Defensor Sporting in the second half of 2005/06 and played two games in the Premier League. He made his debut in February 2006 as a substitute against Fulham (6-1 loss) and scored in the May 2006 away game against Everton (pictured), but also caused a late penalty that resulted in a 2-2 draw.
Martínez played his only international match for Uruguay in 2003. He competed in the final of the Lunar New Year Cup, a friendly tournament played annually around the Chinese New Year and featuring both national teams and clubs. Uruguay defeated Iran on penalties. In France he played for Valenciennes (Ligue 1) and Stade Reims (Ligue 2); in Spain he played in 2018/19 for fourth divisionist Asociación Deportiva Ceuta.
Martínez’s goal against Everton can be seen from minute 0:50.
In April of this year, Martínez joined Uruguayan second divisionist Villa Teresa on a free transfer. Last month he played three more league games for the club. The central defender was then sidelined with the coronavirus. His former trainer Edgardo Arias mourns the loss. Arias was the coach of Villa Teresa, but was removed from his position on Friday due to disappointing results. “I spoke to him on Friday evening. That is why I am very shocked by this,” Arias tells the newspaper El Observador. “He joked, ‘They didn’t even wait for me to get back before you got fired’.”
“We talked for an hour. The atmosphere was good. He could join the group again on Monday or Tuesday. We hadn’t seen him for 28 days, but we were in regular contact with him. supported during his infection. He was in quarantine, but his wife, mother-in-law and three daughters also got infected at the same time. He then went into quarantine with them. That’s why his quarantine was extended. That’s why we haven’t seen him for a while have seen at the club.”
Lamentamos con profundo dolor y conmoción el fallecimiento del jugador uruguayo Williams Martínez. Nuestras condolencias a sus familiares y amigos. QEPD pic.twitter.com/aQbQnV4ZH9
— AUF (@AUFOficial) July 18, 2021
“No one could have foreseen this. You don’t get signals from someone’s head. Any person can face psychological problems. Nobody knows how to overcome the disease, if even with the love of your three daughters it doesn’t work out. He told me laughing that he didn’t expect me to be fired. He was a true leader of the squad and decided to stay away for 14 days longer to support his family.” Arias also worked with Martínez at second divisionist Rampla Juniors last season and has fond memories of their first meeting.
“I remember telling him on the first day that I was honored to be able to talk to one of the dinosaurs of Uruguayan football. He laughed and said, ‘Don’t be mean, I’m only 37,'” said the coach back. At Rampla Juniors, Martínez wore the captain’s armband. “I immediately made him the captain, because he was a leader. This is very difficult to grasp. I was happy to take him to Villa Teresa. We have been through a lot together in the past year and a half. I am very sad. I I got to know a great man and a great father. It hurts me a lot.”
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