Saíd Martínez

Saíd Martínez
Full name Héctor Saíd Martínez Sorto
Born (1991-08-07) 7 August 1991
Tocoa, Honduras
Domestic
Years League Role
Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Honduras Referee
International
Years League Role
2017– FIFA Referee
CONCACAF Referee

Héctor Saíd Martínez Sorto (born 7 August 1991) is a Honduran football referee who has been 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

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 study mathematics, later earning him the nickname “El Matematico”.[4][5]

Refereeing career

Martínez became an international referee for FIFA and CONCACAF in 2017.[6] He 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 officiated the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup,[9] including the final between the United States and Mexico.[10] He was appointed the Gold Cup final again in 2023. [11]

In June 2023, Martínez was chosen to referee the CONCACAF Nations League final between Canada and the United States.[12]

In July 2023, Martinez was chosen to referee 2023 Leagues Cup games, including Lionel Messi's first match for Inter Miami against Cruz Azul.[13]

Martinez was selected as a referee for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, making him the first Honduran to be appointed as a referee at a World Cup.[14] Martinez took charge of two group stage matches, and a round of 32 knockout match. [15]

Controversy

On 6 June 2024, Martínez officiated a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification – CONCACAF second round match between El Salvador and Puerto Rico. In the 76th minute, El Salvador's Jairo Henríquez made a violent studs-up challenge into the knee of Puerto Rico's Juan O'Neill. Despite being positioned close to the incident alongside fellow Honduran fourth official Nelson Salgado, Martínez only issued a yellow card. The decision drew criticism from media as a clear refereeing error, as Henríquez avoided a suspension and remained available for El Salvador's subsequent group stage matches, including the next game against Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which he scored the opening goal in. [16]

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 semi-final game between Mexico and Canada, Mexico's Edson Álvarez kicked Canada's Derek Cornelius on his foot inside Mexico's penalty box, but the Martínez did not award a penalty kick to Canada. A free kick was given in favour of Mexico instead. The VAR Benjamín Pineda did not intervene.[17][18][19]

On 24 June 2026, Martínez was the referee in charge of the World Cup match between Ghana and England. During the 2nd half, when Ghana's Prince Adu was dribbling the ball towards England's goal, England's Ezri Konsa launched himself into the air and tackled Adu from behind inside England's penalty box[20]. Martínez did not to award a penalty to Ghana, and the VAR Armando Villarreal chose not to intervene[21][22]. Despite the controversy, Martinez was assigned a knockout round match later in the tournament.[23]

References

  1. ↑ "FIFA list of referees" (PDF). resources.fifa.com. 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  2. ↑ "Said Martínez: El joven que soñó con ser árbitro". Archived from the original on 28 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  3. ↑ "Said Martínez: 'Con el jugador hay que ser 'cara de tubo' - Diario El Heraldo". Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  4. ↑ "'Un maestro me descubrió el don de los números...': Saíd Martínez, tocapitos y matemático". Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  5. ↑ "Said Martínez, el licenciado en matemáticas que pitará la final en Honduras". Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  6. ↑ "FIFA list of referees" (PDF). resources.fifa.com. 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  7. ↑ "Concacaf Golden Cup - List Of Match Officials" (PDF). Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  8. ↑ "List of appointed Match Officials" (PDF). Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  9. ↑ "Match Officials Appointed for 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup". www.concacaf.com. CONCACAF. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  10. ↑ "Game Details". Gold Cup. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  11. ↑ www.espn.com https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49145445/who-said-martinez-england-vs-ghana-2026-world-cup-referee. Retrieved 26 June 2026. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. ↑ "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.
  13. ↑ "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.
  14. ↑ Concacaf (9 June 2026). "Said Martínez Set to Make History as First Honduran Lead Referee at a FIFA World Cup". Concacaf. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  15. ↑ Allen, William; Roche, Calum (1 July 2026). "Who is Said Martínez, the referee for Belgium vs Senegal? Round of 32, World Cup 2026". AS USA. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  16. ↑ Redacción web (7 June 2024). "¡Era para roja! El errorazo de Said Martínez en El Salvador-Puerto Rico". laprensa.hn. Diario La Prensa. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  17. ↑ 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.
  18. ↑ "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.
  19. ↑ "¿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.
  20. ↑ Carl Anka; Jordan Campbell; Anantaajith Raghuraman (23 June 2026). "England stumble to Ghana draw. Why didn't they shoot more? Were Jordan Pickford and Ezri Konsa lucky?". nytimes.com. The Athletic. Retrieved 25 June 2026. Konsa was even more fortunate, as his challenge on Prince inside the area a few minutes later was clumsy and could easily have led to a spot kick.
  21. ↑ "Ghana robbed of penalty in England draw, VAR 'went for a coffee', jokes coach". Hong Kong: South China Morning Post. 24 June 2026. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  22. ↑ Will Castle; Jamie Braidwood (24 June 2026). "'The VAR went for a coffee': Were England 'lucky' to avoid World Cup defeat to Ghana?". The Independent. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  23. ↑ Allen, William; Roche, Calum (1 July 2026). "Who is Said Martínez, the referee for Belgium vs Senegal? Round of 32, World Cup 2026". AS USA. Retrieved 1 July 2026.

https://canadiansoccerdaily.com/2025/03/21/canada-in-disbelief-over-clear-penalty-that-wasnt-given-in-mexico-nations-league-defeat/

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