The story of Martin

«There was nothing in my head telling me I couldn’t make a living doing what I loved.» One day, Martin set off for Italy to pursue his dream of becoming a professional rugby player. Born in Paraná, Argentina, a restless nineteen-year-old becomes a man the moment he sets aside his doubts, fears and the judgments of others, takes control of his own life, and shapes it around his dreams. His deep passion for rugby emerged after trying many different sports before finally finding the right one: there was something about the bond between rugby players and their physicality that fascinated him. 

Once in Italy, his talent and technical ability were quickly recognised, and he earned a place on the Italian national team—though not without hesitation. What might have seemed an easy decision became much harder when it meant taking yet another step away from his homeland and his beloved roots. Yet whenever Martin speaks about the national team, his eyes light up, because he knows how many extraordinary things they achieved through dedication and hard work, commitment and loyalty. In 2006, he moved to England, where he played for Leicester and was named Player of the Year. One success followed another until 2016, when he announced his retirement. 

It was precisely in the silence that followed his departure from the rugby field that an even greater dream began to take shape. At some point, every great athlete feels the desire to give back what sport has given them. That is how the Rugby Castro Academy came into being: a place where sport becomes an opportunity to nurture passion and inclusion. «The athletes who will make a difference tomorrow are the children who are passionate today.» It is not enough to teach technique and discipline; it is equally important to foster a love for the game and a mindset that embraces others, includes everyone, and truly knows what it means to be a team. It was Patrizio, a young boy who uses a wheelchair and the son of a friend, who showed Martin the way. Today, his commitment to wheelchair rugby goes far beyond passion: it has become a genuine mission to build a fairer, more inclusive world, one child at a time. Among the children he teaches to score tries and play as a team, Martin rediscovers the same spirit that, years earlier, had inspired him to leave his home in Argentina in pursuit of a dream. And when he sees his students happy, determined, empathetic and passionate, he knows he is exactly where he is meant to be.