Mariano Sánchez (footballer)

Mariano Sánchez Martínez (born 28 January 1978) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Sánchez and the second or maternal family name is Martínez.
Mariano Sánchez
Personal information
Full name Mariano Sánchez Martínez
Date of birth (1978-01-28) 28 January 1978
Place of birth San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
Pinatar
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–1998 Pinatar
2003–2004 Mar Menor 32 (6)
2004–2005 Alcoyano 30 (3)
2005–2014 Cartagena 297 (18)
Total 359 (27)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He appeared in 108 Segunda División games over three seasons, scoring two goals for Cartagena.

Club career

Born in San Pedro del Pinatar, Region of Murcia, Sánchez did not reach the Segunda División B until he was 26, in 2004, arriving at CD Alcoyano from amateurs AD Mar Menor-San Javier. In the following year he moved to another club at that level, FC Cartagena, helping it promote to Segunda División in his fourth season.

Sánchez made his debut in the competition on 29 August 2009 at the age of 31 years and seven months, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 away win against Girona FC.[1] He scored his first league goal on 22 May 2010 in the 3–5 home loss to Levante UD,[2] and never appeared in less than 34 league matches during his three seasons in that tier, suffering relegation in his last and renewing his contract for a further two years in June 2012.[3]

On 14 May 2014, the 36-year-old Sánchez announced he would retire at the end of the campaign while hoping to help his team promote, which eventually did not befell.[4]

Personal life

Sánchez rejected an offer to play youth football for Real Murcia when he was 18, after deciding to move to Madrid to study architecture. Not being able to enter Real Madrid's youth system, he chose to retire from football.[5]

After his playing days, Sánchez continued to work as an architect. Still as an active player, he was the figurehead behind the creation of the sports complex Pinatar Arena, in his hometown.[6][4]

References
  1. De Lucas abre la lata de los goles en Segunda (De Lucas opens can of goals in Segunda); Marca, 29 August 2009 (in Spanish)
  2. El Levante consolida su candidatura al ascenso (Levante confirm promotion candidacy); Marca, 22 May 2010 (in Spanish)
  3. Mariano Sánchez, capitán del Cartagena, renueva para "subir en un año" (Mariano Sánchez, Cartagena captain, renews to "promote in one year"); ABC, 25 June 2012 (in Spanish)
  4. Mariano, el icono del Cartagena (Mariano, Cartagena's icon); El Comercio, 14 May 2014 (in Spanish)
  5. Mariano Sánchez es bicentenario (Mariano Sánchez is bicentennial) Archived 22 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine; La Verdad, 21 February 2011 (in Spanish)
  6. Mariano Sánchez, el arquitecto del Cartagena (Mariano Sánchez, Cartagena's architect); Sport, 6 December 2013 (in Spanish)
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