Liverpool Legend

Biography

Martin Skrtel, a professional footballer, was born on December 15, 1984 in Handlová, Slovakia. Nicknamed as Squirtle in the professional circuit, Martin Skrtel was a proficient ice hockey player before he chose to pursue his career in football, following the footsteps of his father.

Martin Skrtel was selected for the Slovakia national team in 2004, subsequent to his experience with the youth teams. He was awarded as the Youth champion of Slovakia in 2001 and Slovak Footballer of the Year in 2007. As of May 2008, he has appeared in 25 matches for the national team, contributing four goals.


Martin Skrtel kicked off his football career at a tender age of six by joining as a youth player in Prievidza Football Club. After playing in different positions, he opted to play the role of a defender at the age of sixteen. In 2001, he entered the professional football arena by signing for FK AS Tren?ín, a Slovak football club, and represented it in 45 matches during his tenure of three years.


Martin Skrtel switched to Zenit Saint Petersburg, a Russian football club, in 2004, and made his debut in a Russian Cup match in July of the same year. The presence of players from his homeland helped him get acquainted to his new team. He was ranked third as a left-central defender in the 2006 Russian Premier League’s list of 33 best players. Martin Skrtel also made his mark in the same league the following year. Totally, he made 113 appearances for the team, scoring five goals.


Despite the interest of various other clubs that wanted his services, Martin Skrtel signed a four and a half year contract for Liverpool in January 2008 for a whopping £6.5 million. He won the confidence of the club’s manager, Rafael Benítez, who hopes that Martin Skrtel would be a great asset for the club owing to his good mentality and competitive attitude. Martin Skrtel made his league debut for the club against Aston Villa by sporting the number 37 shirt. In the fourth round of the Football Association (FA) Cup in January 2008, he made it to the starting eleven and represented the club in the match against Havant & Waterlooville, a non-league English club. He was voted as the Man of the Match by his Liverpool supporters on their official website, subsequent to a concrete performance in the league game against Chelsea. Martin Skrtel has become a fan favorite and proved to be a significant player for Liverpool by his excellent play at centre-half in both the Union of European Football Association (UEFA) Champions League quarter-final legs against Arsenal F.C.


Martin Skrtel made his first appearance in a Merseyside derby match in Liverpool’s victory against Everton in March 2008. His brilliant display in the match made the Liverpool supporters vote him as Man of the Match on Liverpoolfc.TV.