Roger Martí has announced his retirement at 35 years of age, and this is not just another piece of news about a "journeyman striker." Behind the bare figures — 413 matches and 123 goals — lies a story of perseverance, in which loyalty to a single club and the ability never to give in to injuries proved more important than high-profile transfers.
The Valencian forward, nicknamed "the Pistol" for his trademark celebrations, spent most of his journey at Levante. 234 matches and 75 goals for the granota club made him third in the team's history by number of appearances and second top scorer after Morales. After his departure in 2022, Elche and Cádiz followed, where he played out his final seasons in the second division, having failed to find a new contract in the summer of 2026.
In an Instagram post, Martí called his career "a childhood dream come true" and thanked his father with the words "thank you, Dad, we did it." Behind that phrase lie not merely emotions but an acknowledgment that the path from CD Serranos through Valencia's youth academy and loan spells at Zaragoza and Valladolid required a constant battle with knee and muscle injuries.
His story illustrates how, in Spanish football, it is not only the stars who survive, but also those who know how to remain useful in the Segunda. Unlike players whose careers rise and fall with transfer fees, Martí built his reputation on reliability and commitment, even as the clubs kept changing.
The analogy is simple: like an old pistol that does not fire loudly but hits the target precisely when needed, Martí stayed on the pitch as long as his body allowed. His departure shows that in modern football, where contracts are short and competition is fierce, true value lies in the ability to finish the journey with dignity, rather than in chasing one last big contract.
This is the end of an era for Levante and a reminder to fans: not all legends come from top clubs. Many, like Martí, are remembered precisely because they never gave up.
