From phoning in his copies then to filing instantaneous reports now, Argentine journalist Enrique Martinez traces his journey from the 1958 edition to the current-day Qatar version
Enrique Martinez
It’s rare that a journalist becomes the news. But Argentina’s Enrique Martinez, 88, is unique. Martinez is celebrated at every FIFA World Cup as his achievement is as rare as they come, having covered a record 17 out of the 22 editions. Martinez’s first World Cup was Sweden 1958 and he hasn’t missed the quadrennial event since.
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World governing body FIFA have officially confirmed Argentina’s Enrique Martinez as the journalist, who has covered most World Cups.
In a brief chat with mid-day, speaking through a translator, Martinez dwelled on his illustrious career and the sea change in covering Pele’s Beautiful Game over the last 68 years.
On how it all began:
I began working as a child in Flores, a small town in Buenos Aires [Argentina’s capital] distributing newspapers. The big pictures of footballers on the back pages always fancied me. I joined Radio El Mundo as a teenager as an intern. That’s where it all began. I covered the 1958 edition as a radio journalist. I have worked for sports magazines, dailies, radio networks and TV channels, I’ve done it all, and seen it all [laughs].
Enrique Martinez. Pic/Ashwin Ferro
On his best World Cup:
Experience-wise it has to be Qatar 2022 because in no other World Cup across the last 25 years, I think, can you watch so many matches in a day, live. Also, the quality of football in this edition is great.
On the changes in covering World Cups:
There have been so many changes. In my first two World Cups, we were not even a handful of reporters; just five or six, I think. And today there are a few thousand. Also, immediately after a match, we used to run to search for a public telephone to relay our report back to the office. Now it’s via mobile phones. We used to keep our statistics in diaries, now there are laptops.
On special player-related experiences:
There have been plenty because back then, we enjoyed unhindered player access. I used to simply walk into players’ changing rooms and speak to anyone I wanted. We were lucky, there were no restrictions unlike now [laughs again]. I’ve had some wonderful interactions with [Diego] Maradona. He was not only a great football player, but also a great human being. His heart would always beat for Argentina.
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On his favourite football moment:
It has to be Maradona’s second goal against England at Mexico 1986. He dodged everyone who came in front of him. It’s called the Goal of the Century for good reason.
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