Cuco Martina
Footballer (born 1989)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rhu-endly Aurelio Jean-Carlo "Cuco" Martina (born 25 September 1989) is a professional footballer who plays primarily as a centre-back, but also as a right-back or defensive midfielder.[2] Born in the Netherlands, he represents Curaçao national team.
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Martina playing for Southampton in 2015 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rhu-endly Aurelio Jean-Carlo Martina[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 25 September 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Rotterdam, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Feyenoord | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2011 | RBC Roosendaal | 68 | (2) |
| 2011–2013 | RKC Waalwijk | 43 | (1) |
| 2013–2014 | Jong Twente | 11 | (0) |
| 2013–2015 | Twente | 48 | (1) |
| 2015–2017 | Southampton | 24 | (1) |
| 2017–2020 | Everton | 21 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | → Stoke City (loan) | 17 | (0) |
| 2019 | → Feyenoord (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Go Ahead Eagles | 11 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | NAC Breda | 57 | (4) |
| 2025 | Victory Boys | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2011– | Curaçao | 67 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 28 May 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 03:24, 17 June 2025 (UTC) | |||
A youth player at Feyenoord, Martina began his senior career with RBC Roosendaal in the Eerste Divisie, followed by two seasons each at Eredivisie clubs RKC Waalwijk and FC Twente. In 2015, he joined Premier League club Southampton, and two years later Everton.
Born and raised in the Netherlands, Martina represents Curaçao at international level. First capped in 2011, he won the 2017 Caribbean Cup, and represented the team at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2017, 2019 and 2025.
Early and personal life
Martina was born in Rotterdam.[2] He grew up in the south of the city with his mother, brothers and sister.[3] Martina did not know his father, and states his elder brother was instead like a father to him.[3] His brother Javier is also a footballer.[4] Derwin Martina is not related to him, despite media reports to the contrary.[5]
Club career
Netherlands
Martina played youth football with Feyenoord.[3] He spent his early senior career with RBC Roosendaal in the Eerste Divisie.[2][6][7] On 9 April 2009, Martina signed his first professional contract with the club, keeping him until 2011.[8] In 2011, he joined RKC Waalwijk of the Eredivisie.[9] He played 59 official matches in two seasons in North Brabant, scoring to open a 2–0 home win over N.E.C. on 8 December 2012.[10]
On 30 July 2013, he joined FC Twente on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[11] Martina played 59 games across all competitions for the Enschede club, scoring once: an added-time equaliser in a 2–2 home draw with Feyenoord on 23 February 2014.[12]
Southampton
Martina signed a two-year contract with English club Southampton on 7 July 2015.[13] An unused substitute in the first leg,[14] Martina made his Southampton debut in their UEFA Europa League third qualifying round second leg away to Vitesse Arnhem, playing the full 90 minutes of a 2–0 win on 6 August.[15] Three days later, he made his league debut as a half-time substitute for fellow new signing Cédric Soares in a 2–2 draw against Newcastle United.[16] Martina became the first-ever Curaçao international to play for Southampton and the second to play in the Premier League after West Bromwich Albion's Shelton Martis in 2009.[4]
On 26 December 2015, on his first start, Martina scored his only goal for the Saints, a long-range strike to open a 4–0 win over Arsenal. He became the first Curaçaoan to score in the Premier League.[17] He was released by Southampton at the end of the 2016–17 season.[18]
Everton
On 17 July 2017, following his release from Southampton, Martina joined fellow Premier League side Everton on a three-year deal, reuniting with his former Saints manager Ronald Koeman.[19][20] Martina made his league debut for Everton on 12 August, when his club beat Stoke City 1–0 at Goodison Park.[21]
Martina joined Stoke, newly relegated to the EFL Championship, on a loan for the 2018–19 season.[22] He made his debut on 25 August, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 home win over Hull City.[23]
Martina's loan with Stoke was cancelled on 31 January 2019,[24] and he joined Feyenoord on loan for the remainder of the 2018–19 season.[25]
On 25 June 2020 it was announced that Martina would leave the club when his contract expired on 30 June 2020.[26]
Return to the Netherlands
Martina signed for Go Ahead Eagles in November 2021.[27][28]
S.V. Victory Boys
On 9 May 2025, Martina signed for Curaçoan side SV Victory Boys.[30]
International career
Martina made his international debut for Curaçao on 9 August 2011, in their first match since the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles. He played the first half of the 1–0 friendly loss to the Dominican Republic at the Estadio Panamericano in San Cristóbal, before being substituted for Kenny Kunst.[2][31] He has played in qualifying matches for the 2014 and 2018 World Cups.[32] He served as national team captain.[33]
Martina was part of the Curaçao squad that won the 2017 Caribbean Cup in Martinique, defeating Jamaica 2–1 in the final.[34] He captained the team at the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[35] On 10 September 2018 he scored his first international goal in a 10–0 home win over Grenada in the CONCACAF Nations League qualifying.[36]
At the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Martina was again captain and played every game up to a 1–0 loss to hosts the United States in the quarter-finals in Philadelphia.[37]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 3 July 2025[38]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| RBC Roosendaal | 2008–09 | Eerste Divisie | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 | Eerste Divisie | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 1 | |||
| 2010–11 | Eerste Divisie | 32 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 1 | |||
| Total | 69 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 70 | 2 | ||||
| RKC Waalwijk | 2011–12 | Eredivisie | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13 | Eredivisie | 34 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 1 | |||
| Total | 57 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 59 | 1 | ||||
| Jong FC Twente | 2013–14 | Eerste Divisie | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 | ||
| FC Twente | 2013–14 | Eredivisie | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | |
| 2014–15 | Eredivisie | 32 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 2[a] | 0 | 39 | 0 | ||
| Total | 48 | 1 | 6 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 56 | 1 | |||
| Southampton | 2015–16[39] | Premier League | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| 2016–17[40] | Premier League | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5[a] | 0 | 18 | 0 | |
| Total | 24 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 36 | 1 | ||
| Everton | 2017–18[41] | Premier League | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6[a] | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| 2018–19[42] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2019–20[43] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 28 | 0 | ||
| Stoke City (loan) | 2018–19[42] | Championship | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 18 | 0 | |
| Feyenoord (loan) | 2018–19[42] | Eredivisie | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 | ||
| Go Ahead Eagles | 2021–22 | Eredivisie | 11 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 15 | 0 | ||
| NAC Breda | 2022–23 | Eerste Divisie | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 19 | 3 | ||
| 2023–24 | Eerste Divisie | 38 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 39 | 1 | |||
| Total | 57 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 58 | 4 | ||
| Victory Boys | 2025 | Curaçao Promé Divishon | – | 4 | 0 | – | – | 4 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 324 | 9 | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 385 | 9 | ||
- Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
International
- As of match played 17 June 2025[2]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curaçao | 2011 | 9 | 0 |
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 67 | 1 | |
- Scores and results list Curaçao's goal tally first.[2]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 September 2018 | Ergilio Hato Stadium, Willemstad, Curaçao |  Grenada | 2–0 | 10–0 | 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League qualifying |
