José Martínez returns to Corinthians after paperwork row in Venezuela

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Central do Timão

·7 February 2026

José Martínez returns to Corinthians after paperwork row in Venezuela

By Fabio Luigi / Central do Timão Editorial Team

Late this Saturday afternoon (7), Corinthians confirmed that midfielder José Martínez reported back to the Dr. Joaquim Grava Training Center for the 2026 season. The midfielder spent just over a month in Venezuela waiting for the reissuance of his passport to return to Brazilian soil. Last Friday (6), the player posted a photo on his social media inside an aircraft, accompanied by an airplane emoji and the Brazilian flag.

“Midfielder José Martínez reported back this morning at the Dr. Joaquim Grava Training Center,” the club said in an official statement. Also last Friday (6), the player's representatives informed the Corinthians management that the player's passport had been reissued and that he was already on his way to Brazil. The team reassembled on January 3rd. During the holidays, José Martínez traveled to Venezuela to regularize the document but ended up staying in the country longer due to a local geopolitical crisis involving diplomatic issues with the United States.

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Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

In recent days, Corinthians reported that the athlete had only requested the reissuance of the passport on January 13th. The issue involving José Martínez caused internal friction in the club's football department, a situation that was eventually resolved by executive Marcelo Paz. In various interviews, coach Dorival Júnior also expressed dissatisfaction, saying that the renewal of the document could have been resolved earlier.

As a result, José Martínez missed the team's first games of the season, valid for the Campeonato Paulista and the Supercopa do Brasil. The Venezuelan joined Corinthians in the second half of 2024 and has since been part of the team's surge in the Brasileirão two seasons ago, as well as the victories in the Campeonato Paulista and the Copa do Brasil, both in 2025. In 70 games wearing the Corinthians jersey (52 as a starter), he has scored two goals and provided one assist.

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