Saíd Martínez
| Full name | Héctor Saíd Martínez Sorto | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
7 August 1991 Tocoa, Honduras | ||
| Domestic | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional de Honduras | Referee | ||
| International | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 2017– | FIFA | Referee | |
| CONCACAF | Referee | ||
Héctor Saíd Martínez Sorto (born 7 August 1991) Also known as "The Honduran Michael Oliver" is a Honduran football referee who is a listed international referee for FIFA since 2017.[1] He is also one of the referees for the Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Honduras.
Biography
[edit]Saíd Martínez was born in Tocoa on 7 August 1991. At the age of ten, he began the dream of being a referee with the example of his father, and made the decision in becoming a referee. With dedication and determination, he was the youngest to make his debut in football matches in the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional de Honduras at just 18 years of age.[2][3]
With many hopes in his professional life, he decided to move to Tegucigalpa due to the lack of opportunities in Tocoa. He entered the Francisco Morazán National Pedagogical University, where in a few years he would become a professional in mathematics, which makes this promise of refereeing one of the most prepared in this career.[4][5]
Refereeing career
[edit]Martínez became an international referee for FIFA and CONCACAF in 2017.[6] He had officiated at the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States, Costa Rica and Jamaica,[7] the CONCACAF U-20 Championship, and the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland.[8]
Martínez had recently officiated the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup,[9] and had officiated the final between the United States and Mexico.[10]
In June 2023, Martínez was chosen to referee the CONCACAF Nations League final between Canada and the United States.[11]
In July 2023, Martinez was chosen to referee in some 2023 Leagues Cup games, this include Lionel Messis first match for Inter Miami against Cruz Azul.[12]
Controversy
[edit]On 20 March 2025, Martínez was the referee for the 2024-2025 CONCACAF Nations League semi-final game between Mexico and Canada. In the 9th minute of the game, Mexico's Edson Álvarez kicked Canada's Derek Cornelius in his foot inside Mexico's penalty box, but Martínez did not award a penalty kick to Canada or caution Álvarez in any way.[13][14][15] According to the Laws of the Game, "A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play."[16]
References
[edit]- ^ "FIFA list of referees" (PDF). resources.fifa.com. 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ "Said Martínez: El joven que soñó con ser árbitro". Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- ^ "Said Martínez: 'Con el jugador hay que ser 'cara de tubo' - Diario El Heraldo". Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- ^ "'Un maestro me descubrió el don de los números...': Saíd Martínez, tocapitos y matemático". Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- ^ "Said Martínez, el licenciado en matemáticas que pitará la final en Honduras". Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- ^ "FIFA list of referees" (PDF). resources.fifa.com. 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ "Concacaf Golden Cup - List Of Match Officials" (PDF). Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- ^ "List of appointed Match Officials" (PDF). Retrieved 25 May 2019.
- ^ "Match Officials Appointed for 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup". www.concacaf.com. CONCACAF. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
- ^ "Game Details". Gold Cup. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
- ^ "Said Martínez pitará la gran final de la Nations League de Concacaf entre Canadá-Estados Unidos" [Saíd Martínez will referee the great final of the Concacaf Nations League between Canada and the United States]. Diez Honduras (in Spanish). 18 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
- ^ "Carlos Salcedo pide uso del VAR en la Leagues Cup tras supuesta falta sobre Messi en el Inter Miami vs Cruz Azul". Marca México (in Mexican Spanish). 22 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ^ Callaghan, Joe (21 March 2025). "Raúl Jiménez puts Mexico into Nations League final, and Canada into US clash". theguardian.com. The Guardian. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
How Canada weren't awarded a spot-kick on nine minutes was a mystery. Captain Edson Álvarez swung a boot at a ball which Derek Cornelius got to first. SoFi's giant infinity screens signalled that VAR was checking just as Martinez signalled a restart.
- ^ "Técnico de Canadá apuntó contra Said Martínez por no pitar penal ante México: "Es imperdonable que no lo mire"". diez.hn. Diez. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
El momento de mayor controversia se dio apenas en el minuto 9, cuando Edson Álvarez intentó despejar un balón dentro del área, pero terminó pateando a Derek Cornelius, quien había ganado la posición y tocado el balón antes.
- ^ "¿Concacaf quiere al Tri en la FINAL? Aficionados reaccionan a la PATADA de Edson Álvarez en el área en Canadá-México". foxsports.com.mx. Fox Sports. 20 March 2025. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
El Canadá vs México no se salvó de la polémica arbitral pues Edson Álvarez pateó a Derek Cornelius dentro del área, pero no se marcó penal.
- ^ "Law 12 Fouls and Misconduct". theifab.com. IFAB. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
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