Fran Martínez: "I'm happy here" and eager to return to defend the goal for CD Estepona

Fran Martínez, goalkeeper for CD Estepona, is currently recovering from a quadriceps injury, but his enthusiasm for the club remains undiminished. The goalkeeper, who received the Best Goalkeeper award for the 2025/2026 Direct Promotion season, reflected on his career and his initial impressions of the club in two interviews with SportDirect Radio and Ascenso Directo.
In both statements, the footballer from Murcia expressed his satisfaction with his arrival in Estepona, highlighted the club's organization, and expressed his confidence in returning to the pitch at a high level to contribute to the team's objectives.

Fran Martínez, awarded best goalkeeper of Direct Promotion 2025/2026

On October 19th, Fran Martínez received the award for Best Goalkeeper of Direct Promotion for the 2025/2026 season, an award he welcomed with special enthusiasm because of what it means for his professional career.
The goalkeeper highlighted the value of having the work and effort behind his profession recognized, especially when the sporting career involves changing cities, adapting to new teams and relocating the family.
The award uses a voting system in which fans represent 30%, journalists 35%, and players 35%. For Fran, this combination allows for an evaluation of performance from different perspectives.
The award recognizes the work done during his previous period, in which he also had outstanding performances with Deportiva Minera and Juventud de Torremolinos.

An injury that doesn't dampen his enthusiasm for returning

The Rojillo goalkeeper suffered a quadriceps injury on October 3rd, during the match against CD Don Benito, which keeps him out of competition.
In his interview with Ascenso Directo, Fran explained that his recovery is progressing well, that he feels very little pain in his daily life, and that he prefers not to set a date for his return. His intention is to progress gradually, paying attention to how he feels and how the injury evolves.
Despite this setback, the goalkeeper expressed his conviction that he will return to competing at a high level and will be able to contribute to CD Estepona's objectives.
Furthermore, he acknowledged that he is in a good place personally and that, even during his injury, he is happy at the Estepona club. This demonstrates that his commitment to the project remains unwavering as he works towards returning to the pitch.
From CD Estepona Fans , we send him all our best wishes and hope for a speedy recovery. The red-and-white supporters look forward to seeing him back in goal when he's fully recovered.

"I didn't imagine it was such a well-organized club."

One of the aspects that Fran Martínez has emphasized most in both interviews is his satisfaction with the structure of CD Estepona.
The goalkeeper explained that his arrival came after his departure from Juventud de Torremolinos, where he had initially planned to stay. However, the changes that took place at the Málaga club during the summer forced him to look for a new opportunity.
Although he received several offers, some of them from Primera Federación, Fran chose CD Estepona because of the confidence the project conveyed to him and the possibility of being part of an entity with sporting ambition.
His impression after joining the team has been even better than expected. The goalkeeper highlighted the resources available to the coaching staff and players, including the nutrition services, and noted that he had never encountered such a structure outside of his time in the youth academies of major clubs.
In his opinion, the work behind the team is considerable and provides favorable conditions for the players to develop their skills.

A footballing approach that convinces the goalkeeper

Fran also positively assessed CD Estepona's playing style, based on taking the initiative in matches and attacking the opponent's goal.
In his first interview with SportDirect Radio, the goalkeeper acknowledged that he was surprised by the team's proposal and highlighted that he liked the intention to move forward and approach matches with personality.
He also noted that the squad has largely assimilated the coach's concepts and that having a recognizable identity can be beneficial during the season.
In the interview with Ascenso Directo, he also addressed the team's performance during the first few matches. He explained that the squad maintained their confidence in their playing style even when results weren't going their way, and he felt that the previous matches had been partly influenced by unfavorable circumstances.
For Fran, the key is to continue working in the same way and maintain confidence in the playing style.

No long-term qualifying goals: just accumulate points and improve

When asked about CD Estepona's aspirations, the goalkeeper stressed the importance of focusing on each match without obsessing over the standings at such an early stage of the competition.
On SportDirect Radio, he argued that the goal should be to try to win each match and wait for the season to progress before assessing the team's real chances.
He maintained this stance in his conversation with Ascenso Directo, where he indicated that the objectives could be defined later, depending on the team's position during the months of January and February.
The goalkeeper acknowledged that CD Estepona can aspire to fight for the top spots, but reminded everyone that the competition can change quickly and that the key is to accumulate points and maintain a clear footballing philosophy.
He also highlighted the merit of the team that achieved survival the previous season, overcoming a 14-point deficit, and considered that the work of that squad and coaching staff has shown that the club's performance was not a fluke.

The memory of the Copa del Rey against Real Madrid

Another highlight of the interviews was the recollection of his time at Deportiva Minera and his participation in the Copa del Rey tie against Real Madrid.
Fran explained that the experience helped him gain visibility and may have opened doors for him in the First Federation. However, he admitted that during the match he was so focused on performing well that he was barely aware of the significance of some of his contributions.
Over time, she has learned to value those moments more and said that if she were to experience something similar again, she would try to enjoy it even more.
Among the memories he cherishes most, he highlighted the opportunity to speak after the game with Luis Llopis, the goalkeeping coach, and Fran García, with whom he had previously met.
The goalkeeper also recalled his time at Juventud de Torremolinos, where he feels he played a part in the team's survival in the First Federation and believes he proved he was ready to compete in that category.

A message of confidence for the CD Estepona fans

Fran Martínez wanted to highlight the spectacle that, in his opinion, CD Estepona offers on the pitch. The goalkeeper emphasized that fans can enjoy watching the team compete and argued that this style of football is one of the project's strengths.
At the same time, he noted that many things can happen in football that affect the results, so he considers it essential to maintain confidence in the work done.
While continuing his recovery, the goalkeeper remains eager to return to competition and help the red-and-white team achieve its goals.
His message is clear: trust in the team, daily work and ambition to continue growing.
Get well soon, Fran! From CD Estepona Fans we wish you a speedy recovery and hope to see you back defending the red and white goal.

Listen to the full interviews with Fran Martínez

Fans can watch the goalkeeper's two saves on YouTube:

• SportDirect Radio – Frecuencia Malaguista: interview conducted on October 1, 2026, in which Fran discussed his arrival at CD Estepona, the team's playing style, and his objectives for the season. Watch the full interview .
• Direct Promotion: Interview from October 19, 2026, on the occasion of his award for Best Goalkeeper of the 2025/2026 season, in which he also discussed his injury and his feelings about the Estepona team. See the full interview .

CD Estepona Fans | The Voice of the Fans