1 month ago
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Kevin Martins, the son of ex-Nigeria striker Obafemi Martins, sent a come-get-me message to Super Eagles handler Austin Eguavoen and other national selectors with a full debut for Monza on Thursday.
The 19-year-old striker, who carries both Italian and Nigerian passports, played from start to finish as Monza defeated Brescia 3-1 at the U-Power Stadium and progressed to Coppa Italia round of 16, where they will face Bologna away in December.
Coach Alessandro Nesta rotated his squad and picked Martins in his starting XI, the first senior appearance for the player, a right-sided winger born in Milan in January 2005, when his father Oba was playing for Inter.
Kevin spent time in the youth academies of both Milan and Inter, moving to Monza in January 2023, starring for their U-19 and U-20 teams.
Despite representing Italy at the U-15 level, Kevin can switch allegiance to Nigeria and follow in the footsteps of his father, who scored 18 goals in 42 outings with the Super Eagles between 2004 and 2015. He was also just a teenager when he first shot to fame at Inter from 2002 to 2006, going on to represent Newcastle United, Wolfsburg, Birmingham City, Levante, Seattle, and more before hanging up his boots in January 2021.
Martins, who will celebrate his 40th birthday next month, won the Scudetto, Supercoppa Italiana, and two editions of the Coppa Italia at Inter.
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