Explore an in-depth dive into Enzo Martinez’s life, from his childhood to his first season at Birmingham
Birmingham’s top-scorer Enzo Martinez invited the Legion FC communications team to his house for an in-depth interview about all things Enzo. Explore more about the fan-favorite attacker in this exclusive interview. The video that goes along with this interview, along with a goal compilation of all his twelve goals scored so far, can be found below in the article.
Coming to a new club can often be a hard transition. Did you expect to fit in so flawlessly?
Honestly, I didn’t have any expectations. I knew that it wasn’t going to be easy, especially coming from a previous club that I spent a lot of time in. You know, little-by-little, it’s easier for all the players to understand the way you play. I knew that was going to take time here, and I was hoping that each day I could understand my teammates understand me and little-by-little that’s come together.
How would you describe the chemistry between the squad right now?
The chemistry, not just for me, for all the players. A lot of us are new, too, and we all have to get used to each other and understand what each player brings to the team. And again – we have a smart group of players which makes that transition a lot easier.
What stood out about Birmingham that made you choose to come here as opposed to other clubs?
Obviously the first thing is playing against him, and the feeling you get on the field when you play against him. I kind of knew that [Birmingham] was a blue-collar, hard-working group of players and obviously knowing [President/GM] Jay [Heaps] and knowing [Head Coach/Technical Director] Tommy [Soehn] just a little bit, you know, talking to them, I was comfortable with the idea and the direction that they want to take the club.
How has moving to Birmingham been for you and the family?
Honestly, this move has been made easier for me because my family has enjoyed it as well. We really enjoy the new adventure, you know, the, the change of everything. Sometimes you can get too comfortable and, you know, which is natural. But coming here and finding everything new every day. We like to go explore — I have three kids and we love going out to do different things. We spend time, a lot, in breweries and things like that where there’s space for the kids to relax and there’s things that we can do as well. So, every day is a new thing we discover, that we really enjoy, and we’re having a lot of fun. The people have been really nice to my family and I, and the fans too. Sometimes when they see us out there, they’re really nice. So, we’ve enjoyed the move and, you know, we’ve enjoyed making Birmingham part of us as well. It’s been an awesome, awesome time so far.
What’s raising a family as a professional soccer player like?
It can be tough – especially for you wife or your girlfriend. To be away for so long, especially when you have kids, it’s tough. Because living here, we don’t have any of the support that we used to have [in Charleston]. had both our parents there – uncles, aunts, brother, sisters – whatever we needed, they were there. Here, when I go away for three days, Holly, my wife, she’s on her own with all the kids. So, it can be tough. The other part is moving to other places, it can be tough. As your kids get older, adjusting, moving. My oldest daughter, who is nine, she’s about to turn ten, she does an awesome job. She’s very outgoing and maybe all these moves have helped her develop that personality. Those are the good things and the bad things but that’s something a lot of people don’t realize; when you go Saturday to game, how tough it can be on the families.
What were some of your favorite moments from your time in MLS, and how do you compare the levels of competition between MLS and USL?
I think the gap between USL and MLS is getting closer. Obviously, you can see what Sacramento is doing in the Open Cup, right? MLS, it was a great experience for me. You’re at a top level, the facilities are all there, you get everything as a player to make your life easier, the players are really good. But again, I don’t think, besides the level of investment that goes into those teams, I don’t think there’s a huge difference. You have good coaches in the USL, you have really good players as well – some of them who are making their career, some of them who are young and want to keep moving to other places. But I think obviously from where I started in the USL – how much it has grown – it’s unbelievable and is exciting for other players coming along.
What’s it like looking back at your high school career now? Did you expect to still be playing professionally today?
Obviously, that was my whole goal since I can remember, right. To hopefully be lucky enough to live and play soccer, right? Make a living out of soccer. And high school was an awesome time for me because our high school coach was our club coach as well. You know, a lot of us, the players that played on our club team, played in the same high school team.
And the fun thing about that was that was we came from a city that was small — soccer was growing there and, you know, no state champion team had come out of that place, right from that city, either in high school club. And I was so lucky that, you know, all those stars align, you know, with a good, great group of players, good people and obviously an awesome coach that I still keep in touch with.
You know, he was one of the best men in my wedding. So, people that played a really, really important, influential part on the reason I’m here right now. So those years — I can still remember we were in high school, you know, for preseason we’re running five miles a day. That was our preseason before you even touch a ball. If you couldn’t do that, the coach wouldn’t let you be part of it. I think that that kind of mentality plays a role on how I play on the field as well, you know? So, it was the building blocks to why I’m here today.
How was life growing up in South Carolina?
For me, it was awesome. We moved there, obviously at the beginning it was tough, but soccer has made all my life, if that makes sense, meaning like all the friends that I’ve made were all through soccer. Everything that is my life has to do with soccer. You know, my wife, I met through soccer, my best friends I met through soccer.
Do growing up in South Carolina, I feel like it was just the right place at the right time. I got lucky that I was in a place with people that helped me out a lot. And the reasons I’m here today. I couldn’t pinpoint why that happened, but you know, everything aligned again, like I said. Everything just aligned to be at a place where I could grow as a player and as a person. It’s been awesome to grow up there. I can’t, I wouldn’t change anything about it.
Was it tough for you and your family to move from Uruguay to South Carolina?
Obviously at the beginning it was hard because, you know, I didn’t even know how to say hello when I came here. You know, didn’t know any English. You come into a new country just for a better life and a better situation. So, it’s a lot of adjustment. Luckily, I was very young, I was 10 years old when I came. So, you adjust much quicker than, than, you know, if you’re older, but you know, it was a blessing to be able to come here and looking back I’m so thankful that we’re here.
And do you still have family in Uruguay that you keep in touch with? Do you ever go visit?
Oh yeah, I have all my family there. I still have my grandmother that is still alive, that’s my last grandparent, and uncles, aunts cousins, everyone is still there.
What did it mean to you to be named ESPN Rise High School Player of the Decade in 2009?
Honestly, I don’t really like pay attention to any of that stuff. It’s nice, obviously, you know, you can never say that [awards don’t] make you feel good. It makes you feel good. But at the end of the day, I think when I can look back and really enjoy those things is the day I retire.
You know, if you go through my house, you don’t see any trophies, you don’t see any metals, you don’t see anything that I have. I keep a lot of that in storage. Maybe later on I’ll bring [them out], just because I really believe that a lot of those things, even though they make you feel good and they’re awesome accomplishments to look back later on, the show still goes on. When I step on the field Saturday, no one cares about that. Not your teammates and not the opponent, because at the end of the day you have to have that type of mentality that you can’t get comfortable. Nothing that you have done means anything on game time.
What was it like reuniting with [Legion FC midfielder] Mikey [Lopez] after playing together at the University of North Carolina?
I’ve known Mikey for a long time, but we only played together for one semester, because he was a freshman and I left right after that year. But, you know, it helped a lot knowing when I was coming here that Mikey was here because, obviously, I could talk to him and I’m comfortable with him.
He still has that same mentality as a player. I mean, he was a freshman coming into a pretty good school. Before he [came to North Carolina] we were in the final four for four years and we couldn’t make that push to win it. He started, he played every game as a freshman, and that’s because of his personality. He’s a guy that you can see; he works his butt of on the field and every play for him is live or die and that’s a great mentality to have. He hasn’t changed in that sense. He’s improved as a player and he’s a really good teammate and a really good player to have on the field.
The two of you played together here in Birmingham while in college, right?
Right – the year we won it was at the [Hoover] Met. It was kind of weird, because the first day coming in [to training at the Met], I had this weird feeling, I’m like, “I feel like I’ve been here before.” I had no clue, and we were walking in the locker room and seeing the field and I just had that weird feeling and then I think talking to Mikey we came to the conclusion that that’s the place [the Met] where we won it.
Kind of touching back, that’s a big reason I came here, because I want to win it. I feel like we have a chance to, and everything is here to be able to do it.
You a big Uruguay fan?
Absolutely! That’s in my blood, you know. Growing up, watching Uruguay play, every time it’s special. It’s a feeling that just takes over you and when they score, it’s one way to replicate the feeling you get as a player. When I see the ball going in the back of the net as a player and I see Uruguay score I get that same feeling.
How do you think they [Uruguay] are going to do in Qatar?
I think we have a pretty good group. I hope, and I think, we’ll get out of our group, and then we’ll see how far. You know, we have a good team, we have young players that are playing in good teams. So, I’m really excited. The only thing is that a lot of our games are at like six in the morning, you know. I think the latest one is 9:00 AM. So, I don’t mind getting up to watch, but yeah, I’m really excited to watch Uruguay and the US as well. I have the same feeling – I hope that it is Uruguay and the US in the final, and then I can just sit back and be happy with it, whatever the result is.
Who do you think the next big Uruguayan star is?
That’s hard, because you have a lot of young players playing for top, top teams, but [Darwin] Nunez right now is doing really well right now for Liverpool and you hope that he can keep in that top level because that only is going to help the team. But I’m excited to watch a lot of these younger players – we have a really good midfield. And now as [Edinson] Cavani and [Luis] Suarez are getting older, that was kind of the biggest question – who will be next? You know, players will take over that role, and I think we, little by little, are putting those pieces together.
Rapid-Fire Time:
Messi or Ronaldo?
Messi.
Who’s winning the World Cup?
Uruguay.
What is your all-time five-a-side team?
Messi, Ronaldo, Zidane, Danny Alves, and Marcelo.
What is your five-a-side team of guys you’ve played with?
My brother [former Charlotte Independence midfielder Alex Martinez], [former Real Salt Lake midfielder] Javier Morales, [former Real Salt Lake midfielder] Kyle Beckerman, and I’ll take [current Legion FC defenders] Phanny [Phanuel Kavita] and Alex [Crognale] at the back.
Who’s got the best fashion in the Legion squad?
Best fashion? Man, I dunno, but Zach [Herivaux] wears some pretty weird clothes that crack me up, but it fits him so well. It makes him so unique when he wears that stuff, so I really like his style.
Who’s the best dancer in the squad?
Oh, Mikey Lopez by far. You should see this guy dance. He’s so free and it’s hilarious to watch him dance.
The most athletic?
Wow, that’s a good one. We have a lot of athletic players, but if you see Phanny without a shirt he’s like the Rock, so I’ll have to say him.
What’s your favorite restaurant in town?
I like breweries a lot, so I go to Back Forty. They have amazing food and great beer.
Finally, who’s winning the USL Championship final this year?
Birmingham Legion FC.
