Jackson Martínez returns to Independiente Medellín at 39

Jackson Martínez is coming out of retirement at 39 to sign for Deportivo Independiente Medellín, the club that gave him his start, six years after he last played a match.

The deal runs until December, with the option to extend "in accordance with the conditions established between the parties," Medellín said in a statement announcing his return. Martínez hung up his boots in December 2020 after finishing his career at Portimonense.

It is a homecoming 17 years in the making. Martínez made his professional debut at Medellín in 2005 and scored 44 goals there before leaving for Jaguares in 2009. Three years and 36 goals later, he moved to Porto, where he was the Portuguese league's top scorer three times across three seasons. Spells at Atlético Madrid and Guangzhou followed before he finished at Portimonense.

The move reunites him with Juan Fernando Quintero, his teammate for two seasons at Porto. Quintero, now 33, returned to Medellín himself recently and has already set up three assists in four matches this season.

Martínez's own career never fully recovered from an ankle injury he suffered between 2015 and 2016. He won the Clausura title with Medellín in 2009, finishing that campaign as its top scorer with 18 goals, and has 41 caps and nine goals for Colombia.

Medellín were founded in 2005 and play at the Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero, which holds 37,899. The club currently sit 15th in the Primera B with nine points from 15 matches, with A. Oñate their leading scorer on nine goals this campaign.

A returning club legend paired again with Quintero may lift a struggling side, though at 39 and long out of competitive football, Martínez's impact on the pitch remains to be seen.