Claudia Martínez

Claudia Martínez
Martínez in 2025
Personal information
Full name Claudia Martínez Ovando
Date of birth (2008-01-15) 15 January 2008[1]
Place of birth Capitán Bado, Paraguay
Height 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
Position Forward
Team information
Current team
Washington Spirit
Number 11
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023–2024 Sportivo Ameliano
2024–2026 Club Olimpia
2026– Washington Spirit 1 (0)
International career
2024– Paraguay U17 16 (13)
2024– Paraguay U20 3 (0)
2024– Paraguay 6 (7)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 13 March 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 25 July 2025

Claudia Martínez Ovando (born 15 January 2008) is a Paraguayan professional footballer who plays as a forward for National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) club Washington Spirit and the Paraguay national team.

Club career

Martínez began playing football in 2023 with Sportivo Ameliano, where she was described as "a very explosive player who likes to create and occupy space" by former Paraguayan player Claudia Blanco.[2] On 21 January 2024, she signed with Club Olimpia, the most decorated club in the capital, and went on to feature in the 2024 Copa Libertadores Femenina in mid-October 2024. On 12 July 2025, the club announced that her contract had been renewed until 2027.[3]

In January 2026, Martínez was acquired by the Washington Spirit on a transfer from Olimpia and signed a three-year contract with the club option for another year.[4]

International career

Martínez began representing Paraguay at the under-17 level, featuring in the 2024 and 2025 editions of the South American U-17 Women's Championship, and finishing as the top scorer in the latter.[5][6] In August 2024, she was named in Paraguay's squad for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Colombia, where she appeared in all three group stage matches.

In July 2024, Martínez received her first call-up to the senior national team for friendly matches against Chile. She made her senior debut on 12 July 2024, scoring a consolation goal in a 1–4 defeat to the visitors.[7] A year later, she was named in Paraguay's final squad for the 2025 Copa América Femenina, as the youngest player in the team.[8] On 13 July 2025, she made her debut in the competition as a starter and scored a hat-trick against Bolivia, becoming the youngest player to score multiple goals in a single match at the competition over the last three editions. In doing so, she broke the previous record held by Deyna Castellanos.[9][10]

International goals

Paraguay score listed first, score column indicates score after each Martínez goal

No. Date Location Opponent Score Result Competition
1 12 July 2024 Ypané, Paraguay  Chile 1–4 1–4 Friendly
2 13 July 2025 Quito, Ecuador  Bolivia 1–0 4–0 2025 Copa América Femenina
3 2–0
4 3–0
5 19 July 2025  Colombia 1–1 1–4
6 22 July 2025  Brazil 1–3 1–4
7 25 July 2025  Venezuela 2–1 2–1
8 28 November 2025 Asunción, Paraguay  Uruguay 1–0 1–0 2025–26 CONMEBOL Women's Nations League

Honours

Paraguay U-17

Individual

References

  1. ^ Claudia Martínez at Soccerway. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  2. ^ López, Paola (22 July 2025). "Claudia Martínez, la joya paraguaya que golea en la Copa América". noticias.yahoo.com. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  3. ^ "Claudia Martínez renueva hasta 2027 y se consolida como referente del fútbol paraguayo". Asunción: Club Olimpia. 12 July 2025. Retrieved 25 July 2025 – via Facebook.
  4. ^ "Washington Spirit Signs Paraguayan Star Claudia Martínez". Washington Spirit. 26 January 2026. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
  5. ^ "Claudia Martínez, la paraguaya que está brillando en el Sudamericano Sub-17". onefootball.com. 19 May 2025. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  6. ^ "Claudia Martínez, la goleadora más joven de la CONMEBOL Copa América Femenina™". copaamerica.com (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 13 July 2025. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  7. ^ "La Roja femenina apabulló a Paraguay en su primer duelo amistoso". espndeportes.espn.com (in Spanish). 12 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2025. Claudia Martínez appeared to beat goalkeeper Ryann Torrero and score the consolation goal for La Albirroja
  8. ^ "Albirroja femenina tiene lista definitiva". lanacion.com.py (in Spanish). 26 June 2025. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  9. ^ "La histórica marca que impuso Claudia Martínez, la joven estrella de la Albirroja". versus.com.py (in Spanish). 17 July 2025. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  10. ^ "Claudia Martínez, la joya paraguaya que maravilla a todos en la Copa América". versus.com.py. Quito: AFP. 22 July 2025. Retrieved 25 July 2025.