Jon Martín, Real Sociedad’s most precocious centre-back | OneFootball

Jon Martín turned 20 in April and is soaring at Real Sociedad. He reached 50 senior games on Sunday against Valencia, and Tuesday marked two years since his debut at Betis under Imanol.

Diario Vasco notes that Zubieta keeps producing talent, yet at centre-back Martín is the outlier. Barrenetxea is the youngest debutant at 16 years and 359 days, but no defender has settled so young.

An undisputed starter for Sergio Francisco then Matarazzo, he has 2,851 minutes, most among Real centre-backs, ahead of Caleta-Car, who will not continue, and injured Zubeldia. At 20 he already leads, though Zubeldia carries seniority.

He rose quickly from Real C to Sanse. Injuries to Zubeldia and Aguerd brought a debut at Betis, a 0-2 win that sealed Europa League qualification. On 67 minutes he came on, impressed, and never returned to the reserves.

He debuted at 18 years and 26 days and will end the season beyond 50 matches. By his 50th, past greats had not debuted, from Jose Mari ‘Chino’ Martínez and Inaxio Kortabarria to Bixio Gorriz, the record appearance holder with 599.

He still has lessons to absorb, from a shirt-pull penalty on Roberto on matchday two to a misjudged duel with Abde at Anoeta. His season closes in Cornellà, and Luis de la Fuente has included him in Spain’s 55-man provisional World Cup list. With competition deep, a place seems unlikely, though Matarazzo has noted the next World Cup is in Spain and, barring surprise, Martín will not miss it.

Source: Diario Vasco