University of Sports He established himself as a national champion in 2013 and has since gone a decade without winning a title. Despite the expectations that existed for the following season, the ‘U’ only narrowly managed to qualify for the Copa Sudamericana. In a team heavily dependent on Raúl Ruidíaz, none of the foreigners could stand out, and even fewer of whom more was expected: Chris Martinezthe Paraguayan attacker who became the Flea’s partner in the storm.
Cris Martínez was announced as a new signing at Universitario for the 2014 season, with the poster of having been the top scorer in Chile’s second division in 2013. The footballer scored 13 goals in 17 games for loan club San Luis de Quillota after some differences with the Canary Islands leadership for a year out to the ‘U’. What happened to him?
Cris Martínez and his time at the university
Cris Martínez was just under 20 years old when he came to Peruvian football. He made his debut in the cream jersey on 12 February 2014, coming on as a 73-minute substitute for Diego Chávez in the 1-0 defeat by Vélez Sarsfield in the Copa Libertadores. He played the first duels of the Inka tournament and even scored his first goal against San Martín on Date 5, but was then injured for almost three months.
He also saw his level rise in the final stages of the Apertura, in which he scored one goal in two consecutive games. As the Clausura progressed, however, he ended up on the substitutes’ bench and made no difference. Universitario didn’t exercise his purchase option and Cris Martínez was forced to return to San Luis de Quillota in a merengue jersey with a record of four goals in 26 games (1,386 minutes).
Cris Martínez in Universitario’s 2-0 defeat by Juan Aurich in the Apertura 2014, a duel in which the Cyclone was crowned champion. Photo: GLR archives
What happened to Cris Martinez?
After a few months without outstanding performances in San Luis, Martínez made it into the Chilean first division as a new signing at Deportes Temuco in mid-2015, where he established himself as the undisputed regular thanks to his allusions and his good level, he reached the Santos Laguna of the MX League. Although he was champion in Mexico, his time at that club was far worse.
Martínez hasn’t scored a goal at Santos Laguna for a year and is badly remembered by several fans for injuring his hand after a fit of rage breaking a glass in the dressing room. This is how he returned to Chilean football to play in Huachipato, which seems to be his place in the world.
Cris Martínez has been a regular with the Black and Blues since 2019. Although his goalscoring average isn’t as high as the ones he achieved at San Luis or Deportes Temuco, the 29-year-old Paraguayan forward has found regularity at the table. This 2023 he started the season with four goals in seven games.
Cris Martínez is playing for Huachipato de Chile for the fifth consecutive year. Photo: Huachipato FC