A broken promise left twins in a foreign country broke and starving. Be and Leo Martins, born two minutes apart in Rio de Janeiro, had been seduced to Madrid on the pledge of a contract with an 11-a-side football club. Their struggling parents had somehow scraped the money together to get them across the Atlantic. When they got there, there was no paper to sign. No club had even heard their names. Their agent had vanished. The brothers were devastated. Heartbreak was rapidly superseded by hunger. Be and Leo therefore began handing out pamphlets across Gran Via. It paid a pittance, but it at least enabled them to buy pasta and rice. The brothers went from having four meals a day to skipping breakfast, dinner and supper and having one – a lunch that would sometimes consist of sauceless spaghetti. “We were starving,” recalled Be. “We went to bed starving every night.” Be Martins ended 2022 by eating the Almas caviar of his sport – and it’s not football. The mercurial wing was crowned the Best Player in the World award at the Beach Soccer Stars ceremony in Dubai.
Be’s eyes are now fixated on lifting another trophy in ‘The City of Gold’ – the deluxe silver-and-gold one that awaits the winners of February’s FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup™. FIFA caught up with Be to discuss deciding to represent Portugal over Brazil, becoming a world champion, playing alongside the legendary Madjer, being named the best player on the planet, competing with his twin for individual awards and UAE 2024.
FIFA: You and Leo went hungry during your attempt to make it as 11-a-side footballers, right?
Be Martins: We got an opportunity at 11-a-side. Or we thought we did. We went to Spain and thought it was our gateway to a professional career. Our dad paid for it all. As soon as we got there it went wrong. We had a problem with the agent. Ultimately our money ran out. Me and my brother said to our dad, ‘Look, dad, we know the sacrifice you and our mother made for us to come here. We won’t go back home until we get your money back.’ My dad said he had to go back home because he was already of a certain age and he couldn’t stay. We said, ‘Dad, you go but we’ll stay and find a way to survive’. We were trying to get trials at clubs. We were passing out pamphlets on the streets to support ourselves, but it paid very little. It was tough. We were starving. Then we found a club whose coach had a butcher’s. For every victory he promised us some meat as a form of payment. Can you imagine how much two brothers, hungry, wanted to win!? (laughs) It was like that for around three months until we got a chance in the Spanish second division B. That’s when we got things going financially and were able to bring our parents over.
How did you get into beach soccer?
We were playing in Spain but my mother had a health problem, so we went back to Brazil. It was around 2012 and Spain was in a financial crisis. Given this, and our mother’s health problem, it didn’t seem worth going back to Spain. We wanted to stay in shape, and some friends invited us to train in beach soccer. We went and it was an instant passion.
How did you end up playing for Portugal?
I was called up by the Brazilian national team. It wasn’t for an official competition, but a friendly tournament in Paraguay. Then, despite playing in Europe, I stopped getting called up. The rest is a really cool story. I met Alan and Madjer, who are idols in Portugal. When they found out we had Portuguese blood, they told the [Portugal] coach. It warmed our hearts. I believe that everything in life has a purpose, and the possibility of playing for Portugal was really exciting. When the call-up came, we spoke to our family. Not one person – not one – reacted in a negative way. Everyone was positive. So we said yes. We believe it was a very good choice. We’re very happy and very proud to represent Portugal.
At your first FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, you helped Portugal win the title at home. What was that experience like?
It was in our first year with the national team, and at home in Portugal. I believe it was a gift from God. It was very special. It was a really important competition for the whole country. It was our first World Cup. We were really nervous. To become world champions, at home, was indescribable. I don’t know if it will happen again. It was a stamp on our arrival in the Portuguese national team. Thank God we had the opportunity. It was one of the greatest moments of my career.
What did you think of Madjer?
He was incredible, a phenomenon. He doesn’t have the fame he has for nothing. I already knew what a spectacular player he was, and playing alongside him made he realise he was even more spectacular than I thought. But what impressed me greatly was what a spectacular person he is off the pitch – as a person, a friend, a team-mate, a captain. I already admired Madjer before I met him for his exceptional ability, incredible finishing and capacity to inspire his team. To be able to share his career with him was truly amazing. It’s something that will go down in my career.
Madjer won two Best Player in the World awards. What was it like to win the same award at the Beach Soccer Stars ceremony last year?
Man, it’s difficult to describe. It was exceptionally rewarding. It was recognition of all my hard work. I don’t think it’s a recognition of just your work, but your life too. When I got the award, everything was running through my head. Flashbacks from when we were kids, everything we’d been through, everything we gave up, all our dedication, all the support from our family. It was the realisation of a dream. It was the capstone of my career. It was something that made me extremely happy and fulfilled.
Is your wife allowed back in the passenger seat of your car now?
(laughs) Now she can, now she can! She’s the first lady, she gets priority! But that day she had to sit in the back because that day belonged to me! (laughs)
And your daughter loves telling everyone that her dad is the best player in the world, right?
It’s something that really moves me. It gets me emotional. Not everyone knows about beach soccer, but she always introduced me as a national team player and now she introduces me as the best player in the world! (laughs). It’s a bit embarrassing, but it also makes me happy how proud she is.
Leo was named the third-best player in the world in 2021, you came first last year. How tough is it competing against your twin brother for individual awards?
We’re very relaxed about this because we don’t compete with one another for awards. If I could split the Best Player trophy in half and share it with him, I would. He without doubt deserves it. He’s helped me so, so much. I’ve played the majority of my career alongside him. He was crucial to me winning the Best Player award just like he was with other awards. I believe I’ve helped him win awards a little bit too. It’s really gratifying for us to help each other. We don’t compete with each other; we help each other triumph. When he wins an award, I feel the same pride and joy as when I do. He feels the same. Man, I love my brother.
Can you tell us about your relationship with Leo?
It’s really easy to talk about him because our relationship as twins is as close as it could possibly be. We’re great partners on the pitch, but we’re even greater partners off it. He is my blood. He’s the one I count on in good and bad times. He’s my biggest confidante. Whenever I need something, he’s the first person I think of and I believe he thinks the same of me. Our partnership is extremely strong and genuine. I believe this helps us on the field. We’re always together, we do everything together.
Aside from yourself, who do you rate as the best players in the world right now?
You know my answer, right? (laughs) But forgetting that he is my brother, Leo is without doubt one of the best in the world. I think Rodrigo of Brazil is another. Felipe, my team-mate at Braga, is outstanding. You have Jordan, Ozu [Moreira], Catarino. To be honest you could put a lot of Brazilian players up there.
Brazil, Oman and Mexico… what did you think of Portugal’s group for UAE 2024?
It’s a really difficult group, right? But it’s one that brings us good memories. The only thing that has changed from our group in 2019 is Mexico. We got through in 2019 and went on to win the title. Our target is to qualify for the knockout phase. Will it be difficult? Without doubt. But I also believe it’s possible. I think, despite how hard it is, that if we give our all and stay concentrated, we’ll get through.
How confidant are you Portugal can win the title?
I believe that in every competition Portugal enter, Portugal are one of the favourites. We can’t lift this pressure off ourselves. I believe that we’re one of the favourites for the title. Perhaps at this World Cup, not the principal favourite, but one of them. I believe it’s a burden we have to carry, but I believe this is a positive.
Who do you view as Portugal’s biggest rivals for the title?
Brazil are always strong candidates. I think the Asian sides are really strong. Japan and Iran have come on a lot in recent years and have excellent players. African teams have been a thorn in our side lately. Senegal are very strong physically and can make life difficult. And without doubt the European teams could go all the way. Italy, Spain are very strong.
Source : FIFA
