[10][11] However, in February 2007, after several bouts of indiscipline at Sporting, coach Paulo Bento ostracised Martins for the final three months of the campaign,[12] and although a player still under contract, moving abroad was the only option available for him and, in June, he transferred to La Liga club Recreativo de Huelva.

[25] He appeared regularly as a starter during his spell but, although the Andalusians attempted to renew his loan deal, the Portuguese rejected, only allowing the player to leave on a permanent basis.

[28] He was subsequently told to look for a new club after manager Jesus deemed him surplus to requirements[29] but, being unable to do so, he spent the entire 2013–14 with the reserves in the second tier, only appearing after the winter transfer window.

[34] Martins scored a brace to help his team to defeat IFK Göteborg 2–1 at the Estádio do Restelo on 30 July 2015, in the first leg of the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League.

[35] After Portugal finished in fourth place at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Martins, a former under-21 international,[8] was called to the senior squad for the first time for a friendly with Denmark and a UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier against Finland in September.

[37] Appearing rarely the following four years, Martins received a surprise callup in September 2010 for Euro 2012 qualifying campaign matches against Denmark and Iceland, as former Sporting coach Bento was in charge of the national team: he started in both games, consecutive 3–1 wins.

[41][42] On 15 November 2011, during Portugal's Euro 2012 playoff home fixture against Bosnia and Herzegovina, it was announced that Martins' three-year-old son Gustavo suffered from a rare bone marrow condition, needing an urgent transplant.