Roger Martinez: The ice-cold Colombian flying at Al Taawoun

The slightly less-heralded arrival in the Kingdom may be a function of Martinez spending most of his professional career in South America, besides a brief-but-prolific period in East Asia that included, in fact, a short loan spell in Spain with Villarreal.

Emerging from the youth set-up at Racing Club in Buenos Aires, it’s with La Academia that Martinez has enjoyed his most notable success to date, winning the 2024 Copa Sudamericana - the continent’s second-most prestigious trophy - having come back to the club after eight years in China and Mexico combined.

As one of the hottest properties emerging from South America in the mid-2010s, he had joined the Chinese football revolution at its peak, in 2016, when signing for the now-defunct Jiangsu Suning. It was at this time that China seemed set to re-shape the global football landscape.

While that reality quickly faded, Martinez found a new home with Club America, the grandest and most decorated club in Mexico.

It was there that something of a connection was created between Martinez and another of this season’s golden-boot contenders, Quinones. Although, like Martinez born in Colombia, the Al Qadsiah hotshot represents Mexico at international level.

While the two were never teammates, they played against one another during Quinones’ time with Atlas.

Al Taawoun's Roger Martinez with his match ball and Man of Match award after hat-trick at Al Riyadh

But, when Martinez called time on his Mexico stay and returned to his boyhood club in Argentina, Club America pounced to bring in Quinones as his replacement. Now, three years on, both find themselves in the top tier of Saudi football vying, not only towards the elite end of the table, but for the ultimate individual accolade.

With six rounds remaining this season, Quinones sits second in the scoring charts, his 26 goals bettered only by Al Ahli’s Toney (27). Meanwhile, Martinez is Quinones' closest challenger in the race for Fan's Choice Player of the Year having collected 10 Man of the Match awards to the latter's 12.

For Martinez, though, that affinity for Racing Club runs deep. How can it not, when the club played such a defining role in his development as a player - and a person?

Born on the northern coast of Colombia, Martinez first stepped through the doors as a fresh faced 18-year-old, via a stint with the youth team at Argentina’s famed Boca Juniors.

To then return to the club almost a decade later and deliver a continental title would ultimately prove the perfect parting gift; Martinez had repaid those the employers who initially gave him a chance in the pro game.

Hence, it meant he departed for Al Taawoun in January last year with a full, and content, heart.

“Thank you, Racing,” the striker said upon leaving. “Thank you to the coaching staff; thank you to my teammates; thank you to all the staff we work alongside every day.

“And especially thank you to the fans for everything you’ve given me throughout my career: from the opportunities I was given when I first arrived and trained at the Tita Mattiussi ground, right up to this glorious homecoming.

“I’m happy and at peace knowing that my return has helped us win an international trophy after such a long time [their previous success came in 1988]. I came back for this. It couldn’t have been better, and I will carry it in my heart forever.

“Thinking about the club’s current situation and my professional future, it is time to say goodbye.”

Unquestionably, Al Taawoun are now the beneficiary of Martinez’s talent, a skillset that almost saw him add a second continental trophy last season, when the RSL outfit reached the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League Two.

While that wasn’t to be - Al Taawoun exited at the last four stage when they conceded twice in injury-time at UAE side Sharjah - and the decision was made to continue their development with Chamusca, Al Taawoun have carried that form into this RSL campaign.

For sure, Martinez has been integral their rise. Now playing with a real sense of freedom with Chamusca, he has taken his game - and Al Taawoun’s - to a new level.