Vítor Manuel Rosa Martins (born 27 March 1950) is a Portuguese former footballer who played as a midfielder.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Vitor Manuel Rosa Martins | ||
Date of birth | (1950-03-27) 27 March 1950 (age 72) | ||
Place of birth | Alcobaça, Portugal | ||
Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in) | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
1964–1965 | Nazarenos | ||
1965–1968 | Benfica | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1968–1979 | Benfica | 149 | (25) |
National team | |||
1968 | Portugal U18 | 5 | (0) |
1971–1973 | Portugal U21 | 5 | (0) |
1974–1975 | Portugal | 3 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Born in Alcobaça, Leiria District, Martins spent his entire professional career with S.L. Benfica after joining the club's youth system at the age of 15. He was part of the squads that won six Primeira Liga championships in the 70s, scoring in his league debut on 1 December 1969 against U.F.C.I. Tomar (6–0 home win).[1]
Martins was forced to retire at the age of only 29: after undergoing surgery for a meniscus injury two years earlier, he suffered an embolism. He continued to work with Benfica, as a scout.[2]
Martins earned three caps for Portugal over four months.[3] One of them was a 0–0 UEFA Euro 1976 qualifier with England at Wembley Stadium, on 20 November 1974.[2]