Martinez was among the youngest players in the Spanish squad and he too was a Bilbao player at the time. He had started his La Liga career at the tender age of 17 and has impressed at club level.
Up against arguably Spain’s greatest midfield ever, Martinez would not have been hopeful of many opportunities in South Africa. He did make one appearance in the group stage, but that was as good as it got.
Since then he moved to Bayern Munich and has lifted many trophies as the Bavarians have dominated the Bundesliga in recent times. He was selected in the squad in 2014 but has failed to repeat that this time.
Martinez is an intelligent player who can play as a defensive midfielder or as a center-back. His ability to read the game, make interceptions and direct play have proved to be essential for Bayern Munich. He is 29 as of now, which certainly means that he can bounce back in time for the 2020 European Championships.