Mario Martinez (#10) was one of 25 players called up to Honduras for next month’s World Cup Qualifying intercontinental playoff against Australia. (Photo: Mexsport)

SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras – Midfielder Mario Martinez is grateful to be back in the Honduras fold.

The Real España midfielder was recently named to the 25-man roster for the Catrachos’ two-legged World Cup Qualifying intercontinental playoff against Australia next month.

After missing the last four CONCACAF Hexagonal qualifiers with an adductor muscle injury, Martinez is eager to help Honduras earn a place in Russia 2018 and add to his 68-cap total.

“Thank God I was given the call,” said the 28-year-old, who has made three appearances in the 2017 Honduran Apertura for Real España following a nearly two-year stint in Egypt. “It is always important to be in the national team. The coach (Jorge Luis Pinto) gave me a chance to once again be on it and I’m going to take advantage of it.”

Honduras will host Australia in the first leg on November 10 at the Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula, before traveling to Sydney for the second leg five days later.

Martinez has appeared in nine matches for Honduras during the current World Cup Qualifying cycle, scoring one goal against visiting Canada in a 2-1 win on September 2, 2016.