They say time moves slower on Isla Chira.
The island nestled in the gulf between the body of Costa Rica and the little arm flexing out into the Pacific Ocean is home to only 4,000 people, many of them fishermen who put their lines into the water of the Gulf of Nicoya every day and earn their living from the day’s catch. So it is a surprise that the island’s most notable export, aside from all the fish, is finding his home in a city that lives fast, never sleeps and is home to 8.3 million.
Isla Chira native Alonso Martínez has a dozen goals for New York City FC this year, becoming a regular starter for manager Nick Cushing’s squad and giving the club an important resource in front of goal as they push to secure an Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs place.
“I’m happy to be from this little piece of land,” Martínez told MLSsoccer.com this week. “It’s full of humble and hard-working people, with fishing really what people do for work on the island. The people there have always supported me.”
Career year
That quest continues Saturday afternoon with Martínez looking to outduel Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF at Yankee Stadium (2 pm ET | MLS Season Pass). The Pigeons must bounce back from a 5-1 midweek loss to the Philadelphia Union in which Martínez scored a consolation goal.
While he’ll never reach the global star power of Messi, Martínez was already a celebrity on Isla Chira even when he started his career across the gulf with Puntarenas FC.
His fame only grew when he moved to Alajuelense, one of Costa Rica’s three ‘grandes,' and started earning youth national team call-ups. Still, two years living in Belgium and then arriving in NYC in the summer of 2023 required “a lot” of adaptation compared to life on the island. “It’s a very, very big change,” Martínez said.
Another adaptation this winter has fueled his breakout season. Martínez made just three substitute appearances, all as a winger, for NYCFC in 2023. Then in preseason, Cushing asked him to work more as a traditional central forward. He’d played there occasionally, but was much more likely to play wide or as an attacking midfielder. Still, he was ready to take on the challenge.
“I spoke with the manager and said I wanted the chance to be the team’s No. 9, to fight for that place,” Martínez said. “Then, I really took advantage of the chance.”
Right away, Martínez started bagging goals en route to a total that already is an individual record with games to spare. In his first MLS start, he scored NYCFC’s equalizer against Inter Miami at Chase Stadium, coming in from a wide position to match Luis Suárez’s goal earlier in the night. He scored again in April, but everything clicked in the summer. He notched a hat trick against the San Jose Earthquakes in a 5-1 victory, then had a double against CF Montréal heading into the Leagues Cup break.
“It’s a lot [different]” playing as a No. 9 vs. his previous role, Martínez said. “Now you have to be matching up against much stronger defenders up top, jump for balls in the air. I’ve managed it well even though there are really strong and tall defenders in this league. I think it’s been a good stretch, and it’s been a good adaptation period.”
After scoring the fastest-ever goal from the opening whistle in Leagues Cup history, Martínez picked back up right after the tournament with a double against Chicago Fire FC.
National team future
The surge came too late for Martínez to book a place in the Costa Rica squad for this summer's Copa América. The manager who led that team, Gustavo Alfaro, left in August, with sporting director Claudio Vivas replacing him in the interim. Vivas scouted Martínez during Copa América, included him in the call-up for September’s Concacaf Nations League matches, and started him against Guadeloupe.
“We’ve been watching Alonso,” Vivas said earlier this month. “Of course, he’s a player who can move all across the front line. He’s got good mobility and different types of movement that let him come from the middle out wide or wide to the middle.”
So, after the win against Guadeloupe, Vivas’ decision not to bring on Martínez as the Ticos chased a goal in a scoreless draw against Guatemala was criticized by many fans and analysts. Martínez insisted, though, that he knows the chances in the national team won’t come without more effort on his part, especially with stiff competition at the central forward position.
“I’m really happy to be back in the national team,” Martínez said. “We’ve had difficult games. I have to work more, do things better to have the opportunity to be in the national team again and to fight for that place. The day-to-day work is going to help you in the national team.”
That’s what he’s doing, looking to apply the patience he learned when fishing – an Isla Chira skill Martínez insists he picked up before leaving and still enjoys when he heads home on vacation – to his current career arc.
The 25-year-old is confident that he’ll continue to be key for NYCFC and become a fixture on the national team – whether it’s on Costa Rican time or in a New York minute.
