Gilberto Martínez

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Gilberto Martínez
Personal information
Full name	Gilberto Martínez Vidal
Date of birth	October 1, 1979 (age 27)
Place of birth	Golfito, Costa Rica
Height	1.74 m
Position	defender
Club information
Current club	A.S. Roma
Professional clubs*
Years	Club	Apps (goals)
1999-02 2002-2006 2006-	Deportivo Saprissa Brescia Calcio A.S. Roma	68 (0) 132 (1) 0 (0)
National team**
2001-	Costa Rica	58 (0)
* Professional club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 31 August 2006. ** National team caps and goals correct as of 31 August 2006.

Gilberto Martínez Vidal (born October 1, 1979 in Golfito, Costa Rica) is a Costa Rican football player, who currently plays defender for A.S. Roma of Italian Serie A.

Martínez began his career in Costa Rica with one of the nation's most prestigious clubs, Deportivo Saprissa, in the 1999/2000 season. He participated with Costa Rica's national team in the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship held at Nigeria. His performances in the domestic league and Nigeria's Football World Youth Championship soon earned him a place on the Costa Rican national team, and Martínez quickly established himself there as well. Martinez started all three of the team's games in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and his performances were impressive enough that Brescia purchased him from Saprissa September 15 of the same year. As of May 18 2006 he has picked up 56 international caps but is yet to find the net. He is a tough tackler and his determination makes him a crowd favorite everywhere he plays.

Martínez has had little trouble finding playing time with Brescia, either. In his first year, the 2002/3 season, he played in 34 games for the team. In his second, 2003/04, he played 30.

	Costa Rica squad - 2002 FIFA World Cup
1 Lonnis | 2 Drummond | 3 Marín | 4 Wright | 5 Martínez | 6 López | 7 Fonseca | 8 Solís | 9 Wanchope | 10 Centeno | 11 Gómez | 12 Parks | 13 Vallejos | 14 Rodríguez | 15 Wallace | 16 Bryce | 17 Medford | 18 Mesén | 19 Cordero | 20 Sunsing | 21 Chinchilla | 22 Castro | 23 Morgan | Coach: Guimarães

	Costa Rica squad - 2006 FIFA World Cup
1 Mesén | 2 Drummond | 3 Marín | 4 Umaña | 5 Martínez | 6 Fonseca | 7 Bolaños | 8 Solís | 9 Wanchope | 10 Centeno | 11 Gómez | 12 González | 13 Bernard | 14 Azofeifa | 15 Wallace | 16 Hernández | 17 Badilla | 18 Porras | 19 Saborío | 20 Sequeira | 21 Núñez | 22 Rodríguez | 23 Alfaro | Coach: Guimarães

A.S. Roma - Current Squad
1 Curci | 2 Panucci | 3 Martinez | 5 Mexès | 7 Pizarro | 8 Aquilani | 9 Montella | 10 Totti | 11 Taddei | 12 Pipolo | 13 Chivu | 14 Faty | 16 De Rossi | 18 Virga | 19 Defendi | 20 Perrotta | 21 Ferrari | 22 Tonetto | 23 Vučinić | 24 Zotti | 27 Julio Sergio | 28 Rosi | 30 Mancini | 32 Doni | 35 Okaka | 77 Cassetti | Coach Spalletti