Jackson Martinez

Jackson Martínez
Martínez with Porto in 2013
Personal information
Full name	Jackson Arley Martínez Valencia
Date of birth	(1986-10-03) 3 October 1986 (age 27)
Place of birth	Quibdó, Colombia
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Porto
Number	9
Youth career
	Independiente Medellín
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2005–2009	Independiente Medellín	136	(55)
2010–2012	Chiapas	58	(28)
2012–	Porto	60	(46)
National team‡
2009–	Colombia	27	(8)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10 May 2014. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 10 June 2014

Jackson Arley Martínez Valencia (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈʝakson marˈtines]; born on 3 October 1986) or simply Jackson is a Colombian footballer who plays as a striker for F.C. Porto of the Portuguese Primeira Liga.

He is often named Cha Cha Cha for his dance-like moves on the pitch.^[1] Noted columnist Tim Vickery describes him as "an out-and-out goalscorer, a front-to-goal centre-forward who can finish off both feet".^[2]

Jackson has also represented Colombia's national team since 2009, where he has gained 26 caps and scored 8 goals so far.

Club career

Independiente de Medellín

In 2009 he became the top goalscorer for the season, with 18 goals in the Colombian league. He also led Independiente Medellín to their 5th league title.

Jaguares de Chiapas

After several good seasons in Colombia, Martínez attracted interest from teams in Argentina and Mexico, and was eventually signed by Chiapas from the Mexican Primera División. He ended a good first season with nine goals, placing him fourth in the top scorers table. In the Copa Libertadores 2011, Martínez was a key player for Chiapas as they reached the quarter-finals. He was named captain of Jaguares at the beginning of the Clausura 2012 season. He did very well scoring over thirty goals for the season. Along with his performances for the Colombia national football team, his outstanding performances in Mexico subsequently led to interest from Portuguese team Porto.

Porto

2012–13 season

On 7 July 2012, Martínez signed with Porto for US$11 million.^[3][4] On 11 August he played his first competitive match for the Portuguese team in the 2012 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira against Académica de Coimbra, scoring his first goal.^[5][6] He would score in the 90th minute which gave Porto their 19th victory of the tournament. He was named as the man of the match.^[7]

He scored his first league goal on 25 August from the penalty spot against Vitória de Guimarães in the 80th minute with Porto winning the game 4–0.^[8] The second league goal came on 1 September against Olhanense with the game finishing 2–3 for Porto.^[9][10] In his next league match against Beira-Mar, he scored a bicycle kick from a chipped pass by fellow countryman James Rodríguez.^[11] In gameweek 5, Martinez saved Porto from a 2–1 loss scoring in the 90th minute in an away game against Rio Ave.^[12] Against rivals Sporting CP, Jackson scored with a stunning back heel volley in an 2–0 win.^[13][14] During the third round of the 2012–13 champions league group stage, Jackson scored his first goal in European competition thanks to an assist by James Rodríguez against Dynamo Kyiv.^[15] He scored again in the same match, which ended 3–2 to Porto. Martínez continued his goal streak in a 2–1 victory over Estoril, scoring one goal and assisting the other.^[16]

With 11 goals in 12 matches, he beat the record of former Porto strikers Radamel Falcao, Lisandro López and Hulk.^[17] He became known as "Jackshow Martínez" in Portugal, which was coined by journalist João Ruela. In the same day, after he scored two more goals in a 5–0 victory against Marítimo, he made the front page in every sports-related newspaper in Portugal.^[18] He has been recently linked with Liverpool, Chelsea, and Barcelona due to his excellent performances.^[19] His excellent goal scoring performances in domestic competitions also resulted in him being named the SJPF Player of the Month for the months of October and November.^[20]

In the final round of the Champions League group stage, he scored a goal against Paris Saint-Germain in a 2–1 defeat. Despite the loss, Porto advanced to the next round as the second-placed club in their group. Against Moreirense, he scored a goal following an assist from James Rodríguez.

In the beginning of the second half of the league, Jackson scored a header in a 1–0 victory over Nacional. Jackson played in the O Clássico against rivals Benfica where he scored in a 2–2 draw. In the delayed match against Vitória de Setúbal, Jackson scored a double, one via the penalty spot. In his next match, he sealed a 5–0 victory with a 90th minute goal against Gil Vicente. He scored a hat-trick against Vitória de Guimarães which included 2 headers making it his first hat-trick for Porto. Jackson had at this time scored 18 goals in 17 matches in the Portuguese Liga. Jackson continued his goal scoring streak by scoring the equaliser in a 1–1 draw with Olhanense. He scored a goal against Beira-Mar a week later. Martinez added 2 more goals, against Rio Ave, including a penalty and a volley following a cross by James Rodríguez. Martínez was elected for the February SJPF Player of the Month.^[21]

Martínez made his Taça da Liga debut in the 2012–13 Taça da Liga semi-finals against Rio Ave where he failed to score a single goal. Regardless, Porto won the match 4–0 and advanced to the finals. Jackson ended his goal drought in a 3–0 away victory over Moreirense, where he scored a brace.

In the final match of the league season against Paços de Ferreira, Jackson sealed the 2–0 victory with scoring the second goal and assuring Porto's 3rd consecutive league title (Benfica also won their last match). The goal marked Jackson's 26th goal within the league while becoming the top goal scorer as well. With winning the Portuguese Supercup earlier in the season, finishing as top goal scorer, and winning the league title (in just his debut season playing not only for Porto but in Europe), Jackson had a very successful season debut.^[22][23][24]

ESPN noted Jackson as one of the best signings for the 2012–13 season following his successful seasonal European debut.^[25]

2013–14 season

In the 2013 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, Jackson scored the second goal in a 3-0 victory against Vitória SC at the Estádio Municipal de Aveiro, thus claiming his second Portuguese Supercup in a row.

In the opening league match against Vitoria Setubal, Jackson scored the 3rd goal in a 3-1 win.^[26] Jackson scored his second league goal a week later against CS Maritimo. On 1 September, Jackson scored the only goal in a 1-0 away win against Paços de Ferreira.^[27] Jackson scored again the following week in a victory against Gil Vicent. Jackson added another goal with a pass from Lucho González in a 2-2 draw against Estoril on 22 September.^[28] Jackson then scored a double against F.C. Arouca in a 3-0 victory.^[29]

International career

A Colombian international at the age of 22, he has become a regular feature in his nation's qualification and friendly games. He scored his first international goal on 5 September 2009 against Ecuador in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying match.^[30] On 7 June 2011, he was selected by Hernán Darío Gómez to be a part of the squad-of-23 for the 2011 Copa América.^[31]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 10 May 2014