Experienced defender Iñigo Martínez, who recently left the legendary Catalan club Barcelona, spoke in detail in an interview with Onda Vasca about his decision and its reasons. According to him, moving to his new club — Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr — was not an easy choice, but financial and personal factors played a decisive role.
Financial and personal factors
Martínez said that he had one year left on his Barcelona contract. At the age of 34, he admitted, it is hard to turn down such a prestigious offer.
— If there had been more time left on the contract, I might have thought about it again. My salary at Barcelona was good, and my family was happy with it, — he said.
The difficult side of the decision
The player also took into account family considerations:
— Taking my wife and daughters with me is not an easy decision. If the contract term had been longer, I might have postponed my choice.
The offer and its impact
Martínez noted that Al Nassr’s proposal was surprisingly good:
— When you see such an offer, at first you don’t even believe it. In my career, I haven’t risen in one leap — everything came through hard work and persistence. But this contract surprised not only me, but also my family. Financially, this league cannot be compared to others.
Short career and choice
Martínez linked his decision to his age and career stage:
— A footballer’s life is short. So when this train comes, it’s hard to say no. Considering what I have given to Barcelona, I decided to take this opportunity, — he added.
Conclusion
Iñigo Martínez’s move to Al Nassr is a classic football scenario — a major and rare financial opportunity for an experienced player. His words show that the decision was not easy, but such chances come only a few times in a footballer’s career, and he felt ready to take this step together with his family.
