For Lucas Martins, the journey from a small city in northeastern Brazil to professional soccer in North Texas has been shaped by opportunity, perseverance and a lifelong love for the game.
“I grew up in Buriticupu, a small city in Maranhão, in northeastern Brazil,” Martins said. “Growing up in Brazil it's really cool. It's a country of Brazilian people with a lot of happiness and a lot of struggle, but it's incredible to be born in Brazil and I’m proud of my culture.”
As with many young Brazilians, football quickly became part of Martins’ everyday life.
“I started playing football when I was five years old,” Martins shared. “I started playing in the streets of Brazil with my friends with small goals. From there, I just fell in love with the game and kept progressing.”
FC Dallas’ Director of Scouting Leonardo Baldo shared the moment that a young Martins decided to take soccer to another level.
“Lucas told us he traveled four days by bus to São Paulo to trial with Água Santa,” Baldo said. “He spent 15 days there but was not selected. Since he was already in São Paulo, someone helped him get another trial with São Caetano, and that is where things began to happen for him. That is often the path for Brazilian players outside the major soccer centers. Someone sees their potential and helps them find an opportunity in a bigger market.”
Martins would go on to sign with São Caetano, a São Paulo-based club that competes in the Campeonato Paulista Série A4, the fourth tier of the state’s soccer pyramid.
“São Caetano is a traditional Brazilian club in a strategic location near some of São Paulo’s biggest teams,” Baldo said. “It attracts players from across the country, including those released by larger clubs who are looking for another opportunity. For players without a direct path to one of Brazil’s top clubs, São Caetano gives them a platform to compete, develop and be seen. It is the type of club where you can identify talent before those players move to bigger teams, and we believed that was the case with Lucas.
“We have very good connections in Brazil. André, Sandro and I are all Brazilian and know the area well,” Baldo said. “Through those relationships, we discovered Leandro Gonçalves and then Lucas. There is also real pressure in that competition because promotion and relegation can determine a club’s future. These are players competing for paychecks and providing for their families.”
There, Martins would make 33 appearances between the U-17s, U-20s, and senior team. He made his pro debut on Aug. 16, 2025 against Taubaté.
“It was emotional because I was fulfilling a childhood dream with São Caetano,” Martins said. “It wasn’t just my dream, but also the dream of my family and friends back home who supported me. Signing my first professional contract and playing in the Campeonato Paulista was a huge accomplishment. I was very happy and tried to make the most of the opportunity.”
Although the historic São Paulo club currently competes in the state’s fourth tier, Zanotta and the FC Dallas technical staff had their eyes set on bringing over the young midfielder.
“What caught our attention was that Lucas was already playing against men,” Baldo said. “He was born in 2008 and was competing against 30-year-old players, including some who had played in the Bundesliga. He was a kid in that environment, but he played naturally. He has that Brazilian style, he’s comfortable on the ball, makes good decisions, stays composed and can play multiple positions.”
After a deal was struck with FC Dallas/North Texas SC and Lucas Martins, the club now faced something new.
"He was playing in a men’s competition while also competing in the U-20 Campeonato Paulista, where he faced some of São Paulo’s biggest clubs,” Baldo said. “That gave him another opportunity to be seen. When a young player is already competing against men, the big Brazilian clubs take notice. After we finalized the deal with Lucas, we suddenly started receiving calls from four of the top clubs in Brazil. The calls kept coming, and we thought, ‘Wow, we have something special.’”
Martins joined North Texas SC in July 2026. A new start was set for the young midfielder, and even had a familiar face to accompany on his new journey.
“I came to play for North Texas because there were also a lot of Brazilians here, the structure is great, and the team is good, so coming here was the best option,” Martins said. “I’m also happy that Leandro Gonçalves is here with me. We were already friends at São Caetano, so meeting him again here has brought me so much happiness. We’ve had a strong friendship for a while now.”
Martins debuted for the club on July 31st against Ventura County FC, and started his first match against in-state rival Austin FC II on Aug. 19.
“I was slightly nervous for the first 10 minutes, but it was an incredible feeling,” Martins recalled. “All the supporters in Mansfield were cheering us on, and the crowd was excited and happy. It was a feeling of pure happiness for me, and a moment I’ll never forget.”
As the 18-year-old continues to settle into his new environment, his focus remains on growth both individually and as part of the team.
“Individually, I intend to improve my fitness, my intensity, and play with more quality, " Martins shared. “With the team, my goal is to always help more, always striving to improve every match and every training session to help this team any way I can.”
Martins and North Texas SC continue their push for the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs with four matches left to play in the regular season. Catch the team in Mansfield on Sept. 4 against Real Monarchs, and a back-to-back matchup against Texas rivals Houston Dynamo 2 on Sept. 9 and Sept 13.
