Saíd Martínez


Héctor Saíd Martínez Sorto is a Honduran football referee who is a listed international referee for FIFA since 2017. He is also one of the referees for the Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Honduras.

Biography

Saíd Martínez was born in Tocoa on 7 August 1991. At the age of ten, he began the dream of being a referee with the example of his father, and made the decision in becoming a referee. With dedication and determination, he was the youngest to make his debut in football matches in the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional de Honduras at just 18 years of age.
With many hopes in his professional life, he decided to move to Tegucigalpa due to the lack of opportunities in Tocoa. He entered the Francisco Morazán National Pedagogical University, where in a few years he would study mathematics, later earning him the nickname “El Matematico”.

Refereeing career

Martínez became an international referee for FIFA and CONCACAF in 2017. He officiated at the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States, Costa Rica and Jamaica, the CONCACAF U-20 Championship, and the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland.
Martínez had officiated the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup, including the final between the United States and Mexico.
In June 2023, Martínez was chosen to referee the CONCACAF Nations League final between Canada and the United States.
In July 2023, Martinez was chosen to referee 2023 Leagues Cup games, including Lionel Messi's first match for Inter Miami against Cruz Azul.

Controversy

On 20 March 2025, Martínez was the referee for the 2024-2025 CONCACAF Nations League semi-final game between Mexico and Canada. In the 9th minute of the semi-final game between Mexico and Canada, Mexico's Edson Álvarez kicked Canada's Derek Cornelius on his foot inside Mexico's penalty box, but the Martínez did not award a penalty kick to Canada. A free kick was given in favor of Mexico instead. The VAR Benjamín Pineda did not intervene.