Mundo Deportivo: Subimendi has been calm and low-key since childhood, and won a chess championship at the age of 11.

According to Diario Sport, Subimendi has been calm and low-key since childhood, and won the Gipskwa chess championship at the age of 11.

In the Gross district of San Sebastián, Zubimendi was a quiet and unassuming child. Martin Zubimendi is reserved, unassuming, and possesses remarkable intuition. At the age of six, he began playing chess at the Ali Castola I Castola School, where the activity was practically a tradition. Between the chessboard and the pieces, he honed the ability that now defines his style on the football field: anticipation.

He won the Gippsqua chess championship at the age of 11, making him one of the most promising young talents in the area. His coach recalled that Martin always moved his pawn first, quickly advancing his knight and castling, and rarely made mistakes. He was a child who played chess intuitively, was methodical, and far more mature than his peers.

In 2008, he was supposed to participate in the Basque Country Championship, but his teacher repeatedly advised him, "But Martin, you can't become a professional football player." This statement stemmed from concern and was also logically sound, aiming to persuade him not to give up his opportunity in chess. But Martin had already made his decision: he wanted to play in a football competition.

This decision to leave the school environment, which was initially incomprehensible to others, became a crucial step for him. The quiet boy who commanded the chessboard chose the lawn. From that moment on, he never looked back.

Those who knew him believed that his intelligence on the chessboard was clearly related to chess. The teacher who still teaches in the same classroom recalled his championship victory with nostalgia: "He has good intuition, is very focused, and very organized on the chessboard. He's the same on the chessboard. I don't know if it's from chess, but these abilities are definitely there."

His positioning, his ability to read the game, and his skill in predicting his opponent's next move were already evident when he was still a child quietly moving his pieces.

Martin has always been a member of his own small group, his own community, and his own family. Friends describe him as quiet, intelligent, and highly competitive. One childhood friend laughed and said, "I usually lose when I compete with him."

He and his best friend Naya have grown up together since they were two years old. They went to Icastola School together, high school together, and university together, though Martin didn't finish "for obvious reasons." It was a little strange for her to see him make his debut at the Anoeta Stadium: "Seeing him standing there with everyone else was really special. But I'm also very proud. I know how difficult his journey has been."

There's one more thing about Zubimendi that truly embodies him and deeply influences those around him. When a friend of Naya's had a sick father, Martin promised to score a goal for him. Months passed, and he hadn't fulfilled his promise until one day he finally scored. He turned to the stands, keeping his word. His friend said, "It's these details that truly show what kind of person Martin is." He's humble, thoughtful, and generous.

Even during his youth training, his exceptional qualities were evident. Teammates recalled him as the kind of student who "could inspire envy because he excelled at everything." He would stand out in any sport, and on the football field, he possessed a distinct advantage: intelligence, composure, and a talent for organizing the game.

His debut for Real Sociedad thrilled those who had watched him grow up. His chess coach even started going to the Anoeta Stadium specifically to observe his positioning on the field. "I really like him. Seeing him standing there, playing alongside the best players in the world, makes me truly happy."

June 8, 2021, was no ordinary day. Martin realized his dream of making his debut for the Spanish national team. Friends still remember that day, feeling it was like an impossible feat accomplished by an unremarkable child in the classroom.

On the way to the World Cup, those around him still couldn't believe it. "I still don't realize Martin is going to play in the World Cup," Naya said. "We've always watched him on TV, and now he's really going to be standing there."

Despite having joined the Premier League last season and winning the World Cup with the Spanish national team, Martin remains the familiar boy from Gross. His friends continue their old habits: enjoying a Spanish potato omelet, a cup of coffee, and chatting while watching the waves or the sunset.

"Martin will always be Gross's man, a friend, family, and the one who is good at anticipating and always makes the right decisions," his friends said. And the best decision he made when he was 11 was not listening to his teacher.