BIOGRAPHY
Obi was born in Glostrup, a suburb of Copenhagen, to a Danish mother and a Nigerian father. He briefly attended St Bonaventure’s School in Forest Gate. The Nigerian/Danish striker Chido Martin Obi has many Arsenal fans infuriated over his decision to join Manchester United after his exceptional goal-scoring abilities in Arsenal’s youth teams. The 16-year-old’s talent has sparked a potential international dilemma involving Denmark, England, and Nigeria.
Chido Obi-Martin has scored a total of 29 goals in just 17 games for the Under-18s. He also participated in Denmark’s 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification campaign, where he scored two goals in the three-game group stage for the Danish team.
EARLY CAREER
Starting his career in Denmark with local team KB, Obi later relocated to England as a young player and subsequently joined Arsenal’s academy at the age of fourteen. He displayed outstanding performances in the youth ranks, particularly showcasing his goal-scoring prowess, which led to his promotion to the under-18 squad at the age of fifteen. In his debut match for the under-18 team, he scored a hat-trick in a 4–0 victory over Southampton on 23 September 2023, drawing comparisons to Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen in the Danish media. The following month, still at the age of fifteen, he made his debut for the club’s under-21 team.
The outstanding progress exhibited by Obi at Arsenal drew the attention of first-team manager Mikel Arteta, who extended an invitation for him to train with the senior squad. Obi garnered global recognition on 18 November 2023 following his remarkable performance of scoring ten goals in Arsenal’s 14-3 victory against Liverpool at the under-16 level. His exceptional talent was further highlighted on 27 April 2024 when he scored seven goals for Arsenal in their 9-0 triumph over Norwich City, accumulating a total of 24 goals in the preceding seven games for Arsenal’s under-18 team.
INTERNATIONAL CARRER
Obi has had the opportunity to represent Denmark, England, and Nigeria in various international competitions. In late 2022, he appeared in five matches for Denmark’s under-16 team before transitioning to England and participating in two games for their under-16 team in February 2023. He later rejoined the Danish under-16 team in April of the same year, where he scored two goals in three matches. His impressive goal-scoring abilities ultimately earned him a spot on the Danish under-17 team, where he scored two goals in his initial three games during the 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification campaign.
Obi-Martin plays as a striker in the central position for Arsenal’s academy, utilizing his physical attributes to lead the team’s attacking plays. His playing style is characterized by his strength, speed, and proficiency in scoring goals. Chido Obi-Martin has achieved a significant milestone within Arsenal’s youth team by surpassing Florian Balogun’s record, becoming the first Arsenal U18 player to score more than 25 goals in a single season. Standing at a height of 6’2″ or 1.88 metres, Obi’s performance on the field has been noteworthy.
