Full name Alberto Martinez Diaz Years Team Playing position | Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) Place of birth Lugo, Spain Name Alberto Diaz | |
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Date of birth (1962-10-27) 27 October 1962 (age 53) | ||
Alberto Martínez Díaz (born 27 October 1962), known as Berto, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a midfielder.
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Club career
Born in Lugo, Galicia, Berto's career was mainly associated to Real Oviedo for which he played 15 seasons, appearing in a club-best 508 official games. He signed in 1984 from Asturias neighbours Caudal Deportivo in the lower leagues, and spent his first four years in Segunda División, promoting to La Liga in 1988.
Berto made his debut in the Spanish top flight on 3 September 1988, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 home win against Real Sociedad and scoring one of his six league goals during the campaign. He only competed in that level until his departure in 1999, more often than not as an undisputed starter and team captain, and added two appearances in the UEFA Cup with his main side, both in the 1991–92 edition.
Berto retired from football in 2004 at nearly 42 years of age, after spells with SD Ponferradina in Segunda División B and amateurs Águilas CF and Astur CF. For his transfer to the latter, he revealed he received death threats.
International career
Berto earned one cap for Spain, the occurrence taking place on 4 September 1991 as he came on as a 56th minute substitute for Manolo in a 2–1 friendly win with Uruguay in Oviedo.