What does Glan Martins bring to the Indian national team?
If someone told you six months back that a certain Glan Martins would be one of India's best performers in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, you would have dismissed it. After all, how could a player who warmed the bench at ATK Mohun Bagan start for India in midfield and play a significant role?
Believe it or not, that is exactly what Glan Martins has done. The rise of the Goan in the past twelve months has been phenomenal. Within this period, the midfielder has gone from playing in the I-League to bossing the midfield against the likes of Qatar and Bangladesh. It wasn't always this easy for him though.
Glan Martins's Youth Career
As a 16-year old in 2010, Martins joined the famed SESA Football Academy in Goa where he started honing his skills. The academy was famous for developing many players who went on to represent the nation at the highest level, and Martins was on the same path. His performances in the Goa Professional League were impressive and videos of the same were shared with a few United Soccer League (second division of American soccer) sides.
A couple of USL sides seemed interested in the Goan and Martins flew to Florida to participate in trials, but wasn't able to convince any club to sign him. "I was the only one to go from the academy, a great learning experience. It was really disappointing to have missed out," Martins said in an interview.
Upon his return, he signed a long-term contract with Sporting Clube de Goa. He made his debut in the I-League for the Flaming Orange and played two seasons in India's top division. Unfortunately, the club decided to withdraw from the I-League citing objections to the AIFF's roadmap for Indian football.
Martins had no other choice but to honor his contract with the club. He continued playing in the Goa Pro League but had his eyes on bigger things.
“That was the most difficult time in my career. After playing at the highest level, I could now play only in Goa. I would talk to guys like Brandon Fernandes and ask them about their experience of playing with the best in India. It motivated me to keep working hard and prove myself when the time would come,” Martins said.
The Ups and Downs
There was plenty of optimism in the air when Martins signed for Churchill Brothers FC before the 2019/20 season. A string of impressive performances for the I-League side then saw ATK Mohun Bagan come calling for his signature for the 2020/21 ISL season.
However, he was unable to nail down a starting position and spent a sizeable amount of time on the bench while he was with the Mariners. The tide was once again about to turn in his favour though as he made the move to FC Goa in the January 2021 transfer window.
“My agent asked me, ‘There is a chance FC Goa will make a move for you. Would you like that?’ I just typed ‘Yes’ and sent it. I was just so excited and nervous at the same time. You see, everyone in my family is an FC Goa fan. Even when I got a chance to play in the ISL at the beginning of the season when I told my mother the news, her first question was whether FC Goa had asked for me or not," Glan recollected in an interaction with the club.
What happened next was simply fascinating. Martins found himself manning the Goa midfield with Edu Bedia, playing almost all of the games for the ISL side. He even managed to score the Fans' Goal of the Season courtesy of his screamer against Mumbai City FC. His composure and passing in midfield earned him plaudits but the best was yet to come.
Not many gave FC Goa a chance in the AFC Champions League, scheduled to happen in April. With only four foreigners allowed in the lineup, the onus was on the Indians to propel the team.
Glan Martins proved to be one of Goa's key Indian players and was fantastic throughout the tournament. He put up multiple strong displays against the might of the West Asian teams and controlled the midfield. Martins's performances helped the Gaurs avoid a last-place finish in the group.
Impressed by the midfielder, national team coach Igor Stimac called him up for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers matches. On 3rd June, the Goan's dream came true when he donned the Indian jersey for the first time against Qatar. His workload was in focus as he was all over the ground, linking up the defense with the attack.
The next match against Bangladesh earned him widespread appreciation as he was a key contributor to the 2-0 victory. Martins' stats from the game only further demonstrate how good he was. He recorded a 95% passing accuracy, made eight ball interceptions and 18 challenges, in addition to 12 ball recoveries and 6 tackles. The best part about his game, though, was the tremendous fitness level he seemed to be endowed with.
All eyes will be on him once again when India takes on Afghanistan in a crucial encounter on Tuesday. Glan Martins has worked hard on his way to the top and all of it has borne fruit as he is living the dream on the biggest stage.
The work is not yet finished, though. India need a draw against Afghanistan to finish third in their group in the ongoing Qualifiers, which will send them through to the final round of the Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers. Fans across the country will expect Martins to put in another excellent shift when the Blue Tigers take on Afghanistan, and the midfielder will hope to deliver the goods.