Obafemi Martins Football Profile: Obagoal's Clubs, Nigeria Caps, Retirement and Net Worth

Obafemi Martins is a retired Nigerian striker, born in Lagos on 28 October 1984, who starred for Inter Milan and Newcastle United and won 42 caps with 18 goals for Nigeria between 2004 and 2015. His football career, or soccer career for South African readers, ended with his retirement on 1 January 2021 after about 20 years as a professional. Legit.ng put his estimated net worth at USD 25 million to USD 35 million on 7 September 2026, a published estimate rather than an audited valuation.

The nickname Obagoal connects Martins with a career that carried him from Lagos to clubs in Europe, America and China. His club history, dated honours and Super Eagles appearances explain that reputation, while the retirement and business sections distinguish his playing record from reports about his life afterwards.

Who Is Obafemi Martins?

Obafemi Akinwunmi Martins is a Nigerian forward whose professional career lasted about 20 years before his retirement in 2021. CAF recognised his promise with awards in both 2003 and 2004, highlighting his early emergence in African football. Oba and Obagoal became familiar names throughout his career.

Martins belongs in discussions of a Nigerian generation that also included Yakubu, Peter Odemwingie and Julius Aghahowa. His Serie A title with Inter in 2005-06 and Newcastle spell from 2006 to 2009 give those conversations a connection between Italian and English football.

His story also broadens the usual account of Nigerian players abroad. Italy and England supplied prominent chapters, but his honours in the United States and China make the later stages worth exploring in their own right. Following that whole route gives African readers a fuller picture than remembering only one shirt or celebration.

The Road From Lagos: Clubs and Honours

Martins joined Inter Milan in 2001 and recorded 88 league appearances and 28 league goals before leaving in 2006. He left with Serie A for 2005-06, the Coppa Italia in 2004-05 and 2005-06, and the Supercoppa Italiana in 2005, a full cabinet for a forward who was still only 21.

Newcastle United agreed a fee with Inter in August 2006, and the transfer was completed on 24 August 2006. Between 2006 and 2009, Martins recorded 88 league appearances and 28 league goals for Newcastle, matching his Inter league totals.

After Tyneside he joined VfL Wolfsburg for 2009-10, followed by Rubin Kazan in 2010. His 2011 loan to Birmingham City brought a League Cup winner's medal, and his next permanent club was Levante in 2012.

Martins moved to Seattle Sounders in 2013 and scored 40 league goals in 72 appearances through 2015. Shanghai Shenhua signed him in 2016, and he won the Chinese FA Cup in 2017 as its top scorer. He retired on 1 January 2021 after about 20 years as a professional.

The selected club figures count league matches, so they should be read separately from cup achievements. Birmingham illustrates the distinction particularly well: his four league appearances and no league goals in 2011 sit alongside a decisive League Cup final contribution. For a Nigerian supporter tracing his impact, both records matter, but they answer different questions.

The identical Inter and Newcastle league totals also invite a useful comparison without establishing that the spells were equivalent. Appearances and goals provide a starting point; competition, role and minutes would be needed for a closer assessment. His dated honours add another dimension by showing where individual contributions formed part of collective success.

Which Club Does Obafemi Martins Play For Now?

Martins has no playing club following his retirement on 1 January 2021. A Nigerian football news site reported in March 2024 that he had taken an online entrepreneurship course taught by HarvardX, adding business study to his activities after football.

In Lagos he owns the Cosa Nostra Patron nightclub in Victoria Island with his wife Nadine, and it opened in December 2023. He also runs the Obafemi Martins Foundation. During a 2026 appearance on The Obi One Podcast, he called for stronger competition for Victor Osimhen in the Super Eagles squad.

Those reports describe different aspects of life after professional football: education, enterprise and public discussion of Nigeria's attack. None should be read as a playing registration or a formal appointment within the national team. Keeping those distinctions clear helps readers understand how a retired international can remain part of football conversations.

What Did Obafemi Martins Do on the Pitch?

Martins built his attacking game around pace, movement behind defenders and quick finishes. His somersault celebrations added a distinctive flourish to the goals.

His Newcastle spell from 2006 to 2009 offers a useful starting point for readers in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana and Uganda exploring his Premier League career. The Nigerian forward scored 28 league goals across those three seasons.

The 2011 League Cup final at Wembley provides a defining example of his finishing. On loan from Rubin Kazan, Martins scored Birmingham City's late winner against Arsenal, giving the final a lasting Nigerian connection.

Seattle added another successful chapter: Martins was named in the MLS Best XI in 2014, when the club also won the Supporters' Shield and the U.S. Open Cup. Those honours give his American years a place alongside his achievements in Europe.

When watching Martins in an archived match, follow his starting position before the pass arrives. A forward threatening the space behind a defence gives the passer a different option from a striker coming towards the ball. The timing of that movement helps explain pace as a football skill, beyond the speed visible in a short highlight.

Full sequences also offer more context than isolated finishes. Watch how the Nigerian striker responds when a teammate receives possession, where the defenders are facing and how much room remains near goal. Those details make his attacking choices easier to appreciate without needing to rank him against forwards whose teams asked different things of them.

Obafemi Martins and the Super Eagles: Debut, Tournaments and the Caps Record

Martins made his debut for Nigeria in 2004 and finished with 42 caps and 18 goals by 2015. That is approximately one goal per 2.3 appearances. The records module provides the international totals alongside his career details.

His Africa Cup of Nations appearances came in 2006, 2008 and 2010, with Nigeria finishing third in 2006 and 2010. He was also part of Nigeria's squad at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

His international career overlapped with those of Yakubu, Odemwingie and Aghahowa. Comparing their roles and tournament appearances offers context for Martins's contribution without reducing that generation to a single ranking.

Premium Times reported on 1 September 2026 that Martins had called for stronger competition for Victor Osimhen while speaking on The Obi One Podcast. His comments connect his experience as a Nigeria striker with the question of depth in the national team's attack.

The scoring average is a summary of his completed international career, rather than a probability of scoring in any particular match. A cap can cover different amounts of playing time, and a tournament appearance alone does not describe a player's role. Reading those totals alongside the dated competition record gives his Super Eagles contribution a more useful frame.

Obafemi Martins net worth

Legit.ng reported on 7 September 2026 that Obafemi Martins retired with an estimated net worth of USD 25 million to USD 35 million. The figure is a press estimate rather than an audited account of his assets and liabilities.

The reported range does not establish a verified salary, endorsement income or business valuation. His retirement date and playing record are separate from estimates of his personal wealth.

Transfer fees are payments between clubs and should not be treated as a player's personal earnings. Wages also differ from accumulated wealth, which depends on spending, investments, assets and liabilities.

A Nigerian football news site reported in March 2024 on the Victoria Island nightclub Martins owns with his wife Nadine, which opened in December 2023. That reported ownership does not establish the business's value or his personal income from it. His foundation's charitable activities likewise provide no basis for calculating his net worth.

How to Follow Obafemi Martins From Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana and Uganda

With Martins retired, his career is best explored through archived matches, highlights and interviews. Useful starting points include his Inter appearances from 2001 to 2006, Newcastle spell from 2006 to 2009, Birmingham's 2011 Wembley winner and Seattle's trophy winning 2014 season.

Nigeria supporters comparing fixture times can use this conversion: 18:00 WAT equals 20:00 EAT, 19:00 SAST and 17:00 GMT. Those zones serve Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda, South Africa, and Ghana respectively. Consult the fixture listing for the scheduled start and the viewing information for availability in your country.

Our African footballers profiles place Martins alongside other players with connections to the continent. His career table offers a starting point for comparing club spells, while the international records explain his contribution to Nigeria.