Martens was known for his flair, dribbling and goalscoring ability as well as his precise passing and creativity.

Born in Eeklo, Maarten Martens took his first steps in football in Klauwaerts Bassevelde.

There, over the years he was a teammate of, among others, Urko Pardo, Mark De Man and Xavier Chen.

In 2003 Roda showed interest in the young midfielder, but he decided to stay in the team of his heart.

He played almost every match in that season and attracted the attention of the Italian giants Juventus.

On his return in August 2011, Martens immediately scored an important goal in the match against PSV.

In August 2012, after the departure of Niklas Moisander and Rasmus Elm, Martens became the captain of the club.

On 15 January 2014, Martens signed a contract with Superleague Greece team PAOK until 30 June 2016.

Over the years, the young midfielder was part of a strong generation of players like Vincent Kompany, Marouane Fellaini, Jan Vertonghen, Thomas Vermaelen and Mousa Dembélé.

The good performance of the young Devils stood in contrast to the poor results of the first team.

In 2010, under Dick Advocaat, he appeared in his last international match, replacing Wesley Sonck.