Newcastle cult hero insists he was faster than Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo in his prime
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A former Newcastle star claims he was faster than Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo at the peak of his powers.
And he’s probably not wrong, as his video game stats from back in the day also put him on par with Olympic sprinting great Usain Bolt.
As well has his trademark somersault celebrations, Newcastle United cult hero Obafemi Martins was famed for his speed.
Before Micky Van der Ven, Adama Traore, Kyle Walker, Timo Werner and the rest of the current Premier League speedsters, Martins was considered in a league of his own when it comes to pace.
Although, he now asks a very good question to all fans and pundits out there – ‘have you forgotten about me?’
When you think about quick players nowadays, and it’s very likely the same bunch will come into your head – Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Kylian Mbappe, Mohamed Salah.
But Martins insists a prime version of himself at the very top of his playing career would have left all of them in his dust.
Speaking to ESPN Africa, the ex-Nigeria international was given a list of current and past stars known for their speed, and asked whether or not he was faster.
And he seemed quite offended that he was even being compared to some of them…
Asked about Tottenham centre-back Van de Ven – the Premier League’s current fastest player – Martins responded: “Faster than him for sure”.
On Man City and England full-back Walker, he said: “I’m way faster than him”.
Asked about ex-Chelsea and Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben, Martins said: “Way faster. Probably better with the ball, to.”
On Tottenham legend Bale, he replied the same, adding: “Have you forgotten about me?”
But the list didn’t stop there. Comparisons to Thierry Henry, Salah, Ronaldo, Traore, Leroy Sane, even Theo Walcott, were all met with the same answer.
Martins was asked if there was anybody faster than him in the game of football. There was no hesitation.
He replied: “No player, go back to Inter [Milan] and ask them about me”.
As well as his electrifying pace, Martins was known for his powerful finish and aforementioned acrobatics, collecting a host of trophies.
He played for ten clubs in seven different countries, with his spells at Inter Milan and Newcastle developing his reputation as one of his era’s unsung heroes.
Starting his career in Italy, he burst onto the scene with Inter and boasted a record of 49 goals and 14 assists in 136 appearances, playing a key role in their 2005/06 Serie A title win.
In 2006, Martins joined Newcastle where he quickly became a fan favourite.
His debut season saw him record 17 goals and five assists in 46 appearances in the Premier League, UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup.
Over his three years at St. James' Park, he scored 35 goals and provided ten assists in 104 games.
Martins’ career saw him move across Europe, including stints with Wolfsburg in Germany and Rubin Kazan in Russia, across the Atlantic to the United States and eventually to China, where he retired.
A memorable moment came during a brief loan spell at Birmingham City in 2011, when he scored the winner in the League Cup final against Arsenal, securing the club's first major trophy in decades.
Describing his trophy-winning strike, Martins said: “It was the easiest goal I’ve ever scored in my career.”
He won the Russian Cup and Russian Super Cup with Kazan before a move to Major League Soccer, where he collected the MLS Supporters’ Shield and US Open Cup with Seattle Sounders.
Martins thrived on the west coast of America, forming a lethal partnership with another ex-Premier League star, Clint Dempsey.
He got 43 goals and 22 assists in 84 appearances for Seattle, where he was crowned MVP as he dazzled fans with his breakneck speed and acrobatic celebrations.
Later, the striker joined Shanghai Shenhua in China, securing some silverware in the 2017 Chinese FA Cup final with another decisive strike.
He later signed for Wuhan, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic engulfed the world. The Chinese city was known as the location of the first outbreak of the virus.
For Nigeria, Martins earned 42 caps and scored 18 goals, representing the Super Eagles in several major tournaments, including the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
