Roman Martin, an 18-year-old centre-back from Villarreal’s academy, has spoken about his ties to Kazakhstan. The player’s mother is originally from Kazakhstan and until recently held Kazakh citizenship.
“Until recently, my mother was a citizen of Kazakhstan — it is her homeland. I understand Russian and can speak it a little, but I cannot read or write it,” Martin said in an interview with ASnews.kz.
The defender is also familiar with Kazakh players of his generation. Martin said he had heard of winger Salim Khasanov, who represents Kazakhstan at youth level, and that he maintains a good relationship with Aldiyar Nurgali.
Martin was born in Valencia and plays as a centre-back. He is 196 cm tall. In the summer of 2026, he joined Villarreal’s academy from Levante. Spanish sources have listed him among the club’s new academy arrivals for the 2026/27 season.
In September, Martin made his UEFA Youth League debut for Villarreal. He started the away match against Borussia Dortmund, which the Spanish side won 3–2, and played 58 minutes. UEFA also confirms that the 18-year-old defender is included in Villarreal’s squad for the competition.
Martin has not yet stated that he intends to represent Kazakhstan. To play for the national team, he would also need to meet FIFA eligibility requirements and hold the necessary citizenship. In addition, under Kazakh law, Martin would have to renounce any other citizenship in order to obtain Kazakh citizenship.