Anthony Martial is one of the brightest and most talented young players in the Premier League. He has been in the spotlight ever since his debut goal for Manchester United against Liverpool. In these times of change at Manchester United, Anthony Martial is an important player and expected to play a major role in taking the club forward.
Here are some unknown facts about the talented Frenchman :
1. The football brothers
Anthony Martial’s brothers are professional footballers as well. His older brother, Johan, is a defender for Greek club Panetolikos and has represented France at the Under-20 level. His other older brother, Dorian, plays for Les Ulis, a club in France.
2. A born footballer
Martial started playing football at the academy level from the age of just 6!! He joined the Les Ulis academy when he was six years old.
When and where was Anthony Martial born?
Anthony Jordan Martial was born on the 5th of December 1995, in Massy, France. He joined the CO Les Ulis academy in 2001. Thierry Henry and Patrice Evra are also products of this academy.
3. Can Martial be the next Thierry Henry
Martial was one of the most talented young players in France. When he played for AS Monaco, the press compared him to French legend Thierry Henry and called him “ The next Thierry Henry”. Martial was fast, prolific and had great finishing. These abilities led to being compared to Henry.
ALSO READ: MARTIAL’S NEW NICKNAME AND HOW HE GOT IT
But Martial himself refuted the comparison, saying “I don’t think we have the same type of game – he was very quick, whereas I rely more on power and technique. But it’s always good to be compared to great players”.
Who were Anthony Martial’s idols as a kid?
As a young boy, Martial was fast and very skillful on the ball. He was also a great finisher. He grew up watching his country’s legends like Thierry Henry, David Trezeguet and also footballing icons like Brazil’s Ronaldo and Ronaldinho and tried to be like them. He often looked up to them and tried to imitate their style.
4. A record breaking transfer
Manchester United broke the record for the highest amount paid for the transfer of a teenager for signing Anthony Martial.
How much did Manchester United pay for Martial?
Manchester United initially paid AS Monaco 36 million pounds for Anthony Martial, which potentially rose to 58 million pounds. United paid 36 million pounds upfront and added three clauses worth 7.2 million pounds each which made the whole contract worth around 58 million euros.
The English press found the transfer ridiculous because of the amount spent and claimed that Martial wasn’t worth the money and was highly overpriced and overrated. One newspaper printed a headline that said: “50 million down the drain“.
5. The famous Anthony Martial chant
Manchester United fans have a tradition of making chants for the players they love and adore. Anthony Martial too, has a chant made by the fans, dedicated to him. It goes:
“Tony Martial came from France
The English press said he had no chance
50 million, down the drain
As Tony Martial scores again“.
United fans sing this chant every time Martial scores a goal.
6. His love for the jersey number 9
Anthony Martial was given the jersey number 9 when he signed for Manchester United in 2015.
Why did Martial switch to number 11 Jersey in 2016?
In July of 2016, Manchester United announced that they had signed Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and on his arrival, he took the number 9 from Martial. Hence, Martial switched to wearing the number 11 on his jersey, previously worn by the legendary Ryan Giggs.
But after Zlatan left United in 2018, Anthony Martial switched back to his favoured number 9 from the following season. It shows how much he loves the number!
7. How much is Anthony Martial worth?
His net worth is estimated to be around 30 million dollars.
How much does Anthony Martial earn?
In January 2019, Martial signed a bumper 5-year contract extension with Manchester United that made him one of the highest paid players at the club. He earns a whopping 250,000 pounds a week, which amounts to around 13 million pounds a year.
How much is Anthony Martial worth in the transfer market?
He is a talented young player who scores goals regularly. He has single-handedly won games for United on a number of occasions. He is valued at around 50-60 million pounds in the transfer market.
8. Martial Brand endorsements and Advertisement Deals
Anthony Martial is a young star playing for Manchester United. This makes him a marketable figure and attracts brands.
Which brands does Anthony Martial endorse?
He endorses Nike and wears Nike shoes while in training and during matches. He is also seen wearing Nike apparel when he is casually out and about. He also features regularly on Manchester United’s magazines and kit launches etc.
9. Martial: The Golden Boy
Anthony Martial was awarded France Football’s Golden Boy award in 2015. This award is given to the best Under-21 player in Europe for that particular year. He won this award for his wonderful performance for AS Monaco and Manchester United. His award win silenced a lot of his critics in the press who had predicted that he would fail under pressure at United and was overrated as a youngster.
10. What Cars does Martial Drive?
Martial own as many as 8 cars! His car collection is valued around 2 million dollars and includes luxury big name brands like Audi, Bentley, Range Rover and Mercedes Benz. He is often seen arriving for training in one of his expensive cars.
Despite having many cars, in 2017 Martial arrived for training at United’s training center in an Uber! This caught the press’ attention and was in the papers the next day.
11. Anthony Martial Girlfriend and the Cheating Scandal
Anthony Martial was married to girlfriend Samantha Helena, who he separated with, in 2016 after he was involved in a cheating scandal. He has a daughter with her. Her name is Peyton.
He is now married to his girlfriend Melanie Da Cruz and has a son with her. His name is Swan. Martial’s wife is a model and also owns her own fashion line.
