Austin FC announced on Monday that the Club has signed free agent Felipe Martins to its Major League Soccer (MLS) roster. The 31-year-old midfielder from Brazil, who goes by Felipe, joins the Verde & Black on a one-year contract with an option for 2023.
“I want to thank everyone at Austin FC, especially Claudio, Josh and the rest of the technical staff — some of whom I’ve had the great pleasure to play with over the years,” said Felipe. “Austin have a clear objective which is bring an MLS Cup to this city that lives and breathes soccer. But to get there we need to show up everyday and prove ourselves.
“Everything I’ve seen, from the training facility, to the stadium, to the way we train and work is rare and inspiring. We have no excuse to not succeed and we need to give everything we have. I’m here to help us get to where we want to be and to play and represent this team and this community in the best way possible. It’s important to make everyone that supports Austin FC proud.”
Felipe (pronounced “Feh-LEE-pay”) joins ATXFC with 10 seasons of MLS experience, having entered the league with CF Montréal in 2012. During stints with Montréal, New York Red Bulls, Vancouver Whitecaps FC and most recently D.C. United, Felipe has made 283 MLS appearances, recording 25 goals and 54 assists. Felipe’s 283 MLS appearances rank as the most amongst any currently rostered Austin FC player.
Regarded as one of MLS’ best box-to-box midfielders, Felipe helped CF Montréal win back-to-back Canadian Championships in 2013 and 2014. Felipe was a key figure in the New York Red Bulls 2015 team which won the Supporters’ Shield with the league’s best regular season record, starting all 34 regular season and four (4) matches for the Red Bulls during their 2015 run to the Eastern Conference Final.
“Felipe is a natural leader with a competitive spirit that will have a really positive impact on our team,” said Austin FC Sporting Director Claudio Reyna. “His work in preseason has been great and we know he’ll be a strong addition to our Club culture as we continue to grow and improve.”
Prior to moving to MLS in 2012, Felipe represented multiple clubs at the youth level in his native Brazil, and played his first seasons as a professional in Italy and Switzerland with Calcio Padova, FC Winterthur, FC Lugano, and FC Wohlen.
A native of Brazil, Felipe is now a citizen of the United States and will not occupy an international spot on the Austin FC roster.
Transaction: Austin FC signs free agent midfielder Felipe Martins to a one-year contract with an option for 2023
Player Details:
Name: Felipe Martins Campanholi (pronounced “Feh-LEE-pay”)
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5’9”
Date of birth: September 30,1990
Age: 31
Born: Engenheiro Beltrão, Brazil
Nationality: Brazil (also carries Italian and American citizenships)
Last club: D.C. United
How acquired: Signed as a free agent on February 7, 2022.
Roster Designation: Supplemental
