Profile of the Belgian midfielder

Some people go through life without figuring out what they want to do. There are others though who know that even before they learn to read or write. Maarten Martens belongs in the latter category .

He was just six years old when he started romancing a football. According to experts, that’s the age when really talented kids stand out. That was the case with Maarten at the academies of Klauwaerts Bassevelde. KSC Lokeren spotted the child and tried to lure him. But when RSC Anderlecht came knocking at the door, the Martens family had no doubts: their son would join his favourite “Purple-and-Whites”.

Patience for RSC Anderlecht

At that time however, his education was more important and Martens had to wait for two years before transferring to RSC Anderlecht. His parents decided that he was still young to cover a 200 km-distance daily from their home to Brussels – if Anderlecht really wanted their offspring, they should wait.

And they did just that. Once Maarten celebrated his 8th birthday, he was summoned to the Belgian capital for a trial training –the shortest in the club’s history… Youth sections’ directors Hippolyte van den Bosch and Marcel de Corte needed just ten minutes to recommend his signing.

Training with a tennis ball

As tactics are not yet a factor in these ages, his coaches focused on improving his already high quality technique. De Corte taught him to practice with a tennis ball. The 8-year old Belgian followed his advice and became an expert handler of the ball. He even picked several freestyle tricks.

His rise in the academies of RSC Anderlecht was meteoric. He was the starting playmaker in the club and an international with Belgium’s youth squads. At the age of 18, he took part in an academies tournament at Groningen –an event that would change his life.

The delicate and mature 18-year old became the main talk between scouts who had travelled to the Netherlands to check out the young stars of Argentinos Juniors. RSC Anderlecht were not that impressed. They failed to acknowledge the talent in their ranks –it happens often… They rejected the offer of Roda JC Kerkrade, promoted him to the senior squad in 2003, but didn’t give him the opportunity to play.

Rise in the Netherlands

The Dutch however hadn’t forgotten about him. In 2004 Martens joined RKC Waalwijk on loan. Some would consider this move a step back in his career, but it ultimately proved the right one. At Eredivisie, the 20-year old Belgian midfielder found time and space to display his talent. RSC Anderlecht still refused to invest in him and transferred him to the Dutch side for 100.000 euros!

Louis van Gaal was more astute and, witnessing the kid excel at RKC Waalwijk, he was quick to sign him along with another Belgian player, Moussa Dembélé of Willem II. The two countrymen became the key players of Van Gaal’s great AZ side. Martens was rewarded with a call in Belgium’s U21 squad and the captain’s armband, as he led an exceptionally talented generation with the likes of Fellaini, Vermaelen, Kompany and Vertonghen, who were preparing for the 2014 World Cup.

Maarten Martens dreamed of joining them in Brazil. After winning every title in Dutch football, he joined PAOK in order to keep on adding trophies to his cabinet and also earn back his place in the Belgium national squad.

Injury misfortunes

Martens belonged to Belgium’s football elite and his talent could have secured him an even more illustrious career, had fate been more gentle with him. In October 2007 he suffered a rupture of the cruciate ligaments. He returned to action in April 2008, unaffected. He went on to line up three amazing seasons.

In 2008-09, he led AZ to the league title with 7 goals and 10 assists to his name in 32 encounters. He kept on the fine performances, with at least six goals and seven assists per season in the following two years.

In 2011, he remained in the sidelines for four months with a knee injury. He returned with four goals and seven assists in 17 appearances, but towards the end of the season he was troubled by ankle pains. He followed specific physiotherapy, but just after kick off of the following league, he suffered another knee injury that knocked him out for almost the entire season.

He took advantage of that period of absence to undergo surgery and get rid once and for all of his Achilles tendon problems. In order to speed things up, he followed therapy in an antigravity chamber –the AGT used by NASA to help astronauts re-adapt to earth environment and get their balance back after long term missions and zero gravity.

Stronger than ever

He returned once again fitter than ever and featured in the starting line-up of AZ Alkmaar, sporting also the captain’s armband. He remained creative and indispensable for the Dutch team, despite Gertjan Verbeek’s insistence of fielding him on the left flank rather than the axis. Dick Advocaat’s arrival at the helm rectified that mistake as he considered Martens an important piece of his squad. It was only fair, since the Belgian midfielder set up 10 of AZ’s 29 goals.

The player however was keen on continuing his career at PAOK. He had been looking for a change in his career for more than a year, as he wanted to keep fighting for titles but also prove himself away from the Netherlands.