'Go back to Inter Milan and ask about me' - Martins claims he was faster than Mbappe, Henry, Ronaldo

Former Super Eagles striker Obafemi Martins has boldly asserted that he was faster than some of football’s greatest players, including Kylian Mbappe, Mohamed Salah, and Ronaldo De Lima.

The 40-year-old, who was in attendance at the 2024 African Player of the Year ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco, where Ademola Lookman was crowned the continent's best player, made the claim during a recent interview with ESPN UK.

Martins, known for his blistering pace during his illustrious career, was responding to a question about whether any of the present or past players could outrun him in his prime.

Martins, who has played for several high-profile clubs including Inter Milan, Newcastle United, VfL Wolfsburg, and Rubin Kazan, reminisced about his speed.

When asked about comparisons to famous sprinters like Thierry Henry, Kylian Mbappe, Gareth Bale, Arjen Robben, and others, he confidently replied, "I’m faster than Robben but he’s probably better with the ball. Did you forget about me? Wow. 

"I’m faster than Ronaldo (De Lima), even he knows that. There’s no player on this list faster than me. Go back to Inter Milan and ask about me. No way."

Martins, who made 42 appearances for the Super Eagles and scored 18 goals, was known for his speed and agility, which made him a constant threat on the field. 

Apart from Inter Milan, the FC Ebedei product represented Reggiana, Newcastle United, VfL Wolfsburg, Rubin Kazan, Birmingham City, Levante, Seattle Sounders, Shanghai Shenhua and Wuhan.

Adeyemi Adewale

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