Martin Braithwaite

Some Lesser Known Facts About Martin Braithwaite

• Martin’s father is Guyanese and his mother is Danish. They both met in the United States.

• Martin’s father’s surname was Brathwaite originally, but it was later, changed to Braithwaite by the authorities of the United States when he arrived in the country.

• Since childhood, Martin always dreamt of being a footballer. A picture of him kicking a ball was captured by his local newspaper when he was just two years old.

• Martin suffered from Legg-Calve-Perthes disease in his childhood because of which he spent 2 years in a wheelchair from the age of 5 to 7 years.

• Martin’s journey as a footballer began in the academy at Sædding-Guldager Idrætsforening after which he joined his hometown club in Denmark, Esbjerg fB, in 2007. He won the Danish Cup with the club in 2012–13 season.

• Before making his debut for the club Esbjerg fB in 2009, Martin went to the clubs AS Reggina 1914 and Newcastle United FC for the trials.

• Martin runs a clothing brand ‘Trente’ along with his wife.

• Due to Martin’s father’s Guyanese nationality, Martin was offered a chance to represent Guyana in international football in 2012, but he declined.

• In 2013, Martin was acquired by the French club Toulouse FC for an estimated price of €2 million.

• Martin’s first senior international goal came against Poland in August 2013 in a friendly match.

• Martin started investing in the real estate business in 2017 with an investment of €850,000.

• Martin is a fitness enthusiast and enjoys working out in the gym.

• Martin joined the club CD Leganés at the beginning of the 2019 January transfer window on a loan deal. His first goal for the club came in the Copa Del Rey against Real Madrid in a 1–0 victory at home.

  

• On 20 January 2019, Martin scored his first Spanish league goal for CD Leganés against FC Barcelona.

• On 20 February 2020, FC Barcelona signed Martin on a four-and-a-half-year contract after activating his release clause of €18 million. They later increased his release clause to €300 million.

  

• Martin’s first goal for FC Barcelona was assisted by Lionel Messi, in a match against RCD Mallorca which they won 4–0.

• Although the Spanish winter transfer window starts on 1 January and ends on 2 February every year, FC Barcelona was exempted from the deadline to sign Martin as an emergency transfer after Ousmane Dembélé suffered a season-long injury.

• Martin has invested in various restaurants in France and Spain.

  

• Martin’s first-ever UEFA Champions League goal came on 24 November 2020 against FC Dynamo Kyiv. He scored 2 goals and an assist in the match.

• Martin won the Copa del Rey title with FC Barcelona in the 2020-21 season.

  

• On 1 September 2022, Martin left the club FC Barcelona with immediate effect as both the club and the player decided to terminate the remaining contract with mutual agreement.

• Martin is fluent in multiple languages and can speak English, Spanish, French, and his native Danish.

• Martin was part of Denmark’s football team squad which participated in the the 2018 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2020, and 2022 FIFA World Cup.

  

• Martin along with his brother Philip Michael once invested £617,00 into NYCE Companies in the United States. As of August 2024, the value of the shares is £180million.

• In the same month, reports suggested that he intended to purchase stakes in Espanyol FC, his former club which he left due to the mistreatment by the club.