Put Wendelle Martin in a room full of people and he easily stands out because of his afro hairstyle. Many footballers in Mzansi have different hairstyles from S-curls to dreadlocks, but Wendelle’s one takes the cake. The NWU captain is a man of few words, but his unusual hairstyle stands out. Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Issa Sarr of Senegal also has a similar hair style.
Martin grabs all the attention every time he steps out of his residence at the University of North-West in Mafikeng. He is used to getting all sorts of looks by now and he does not mind being the centre of attention anymore.
You can call him Marouane Fellaini of Belgium and Manchester United, Marcelo of Brazil and Real Madrid or even the retired footballer Kenny Niemach, who used play for Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs. Some even take it further by calling him Jesus and the funny part is that he doesn’t mind at all.
Martin said: “I get all sorts of nicknames everywhere I go. I don’t feel offended by it some call me Marcelo, Fellaine, Niemach or Jesus. I don’t like to step on people’s toes I’m not egocentric. I just laugh it off and carry on with my day.”
Remember the goal he scored last season? Let us remind you
The lanky centre back was born in Jozi in the CBD, but he grew up in Kwa-Zulu Natal. He is an introvert and doesn’t like going out as he prefers watching movies online or plays FIFA on the PlayStation with a few friends all day.
Taking regular naps is also important to him as it helps him to recharge his batteries for studies and football activities. He is a third-year Sports Science student studying towards a diploma. He said: “I’m hoping to come back next year to do a degree and hopefully to get to an honours level. Education is important for me and my family.”
Martin played for Mamelodi Sundowns junior academy in 2013 until 2015. He was in the same team as Premier Soccer League Footballer of the Year Percy Tau, who signed a lucrative deal with English Premiership outfit Brighton & Hove Albion FC. Tau has been loaned out to Belgian second division outfit Royale Union. On his birthday, while he was still at Sundowns academy, the management instructed him to cut off his hair.
Martin said: “I was told to cut off my hair on my birthday, can you image that? I was gatvol, but orders are orders. I used expensive gel and all the hard work I put into growing my hair had gone to waste just like that.”
After he left Sundowns, Martin joined Bidvest Wits academy at Milpark between August and September 2015. In the following year he was scouted to play for NWU.
At Wits he was allowed to grow his hair and it slowly started growing to the point where it is today. The 22-year-old tough-as-teak defender is a second born in a family of four siblings. There is a 10-year gap between him and his younger sister. He said: “For a long time I was mummy’s boy until my sister arrived. I was spoiled left right and centre.”
Martin started to board flights at the age of nine, so by the time he boarded a flight in Varsity Football he was already used to the feeling.
He says that growing up in Jozi was not easy, but through the family values of being a Christian he survived the tough lifestyle there. Martin said: “Growing up in Jozi was not easy – you’re surrounded by drugs and alcohol. You choose to get involved or walk away and I chose to stay away from such things. We later moved to the South of Joburg near Mondeor and life became much better.”
Martin describes himself as someone who is quiet and he easily intimidates other people because he naturally doesn’t talk. He said: “I’m a humble person, who likes to enjoy being alone. I enjoy my own company. I don’t like watching TV. I like browsing the internet a lot to watch movies online.”
Martin rarely has time to cook because of his hectic schedule. When he is not on the field of play doing what he loves most – kicking a soccer ball – he is hard at work studying. He drinks lots of water and loves taking power naps.
He has been part of the NWU Varsity Football team for three years and the closest that he came to winning the title was when they team reached the semi-final in 2016 losing in a dreaded penalty shoot-out to eventual champions TUT. In 2017, he played just three games before his season was uprooted by a grade two injury.
This year he has been given the highest honour of leading the team in the 2018 season. He is hoping that his season will not end in tears and that it will culminate with him lifting NWU’s first ever Varsity Football title.
Martin said: “I feel that 2018 is our year. We have a lot of young players we are united and we do everything like a family.” In round four TUT ended NWU’s unbeaten run in the competition with a 1-0 victory in their own backyard. But the modest skipper says the loss came at the right time rather than in the knockout stages.
Here is how it happened
He said: “It’s better to lose now. We needed to be beaten so that we can double our effort going forward.”
His favourite player is Percy Tau of course as they played together in the academy and they are still in touch to this day.
He supports Mamelodi Sundowns in the PSL and he regards Kaizer Chiefs central defender Daniel Cardoso as his role model. Overseas he enjoys watching Belgium and Tottenham Hotspurs defender Jan Vertonghen.
Martin said: “It was an honour to play with Percy Tau in the academy. We are still in contact I know that he works hard and loves his football.”
Martin’s favourite colour is black, his dream car is the Audi RS3 and he enjoys listening to Mzansi Hip Hop. He has a good ear for music and he listens to a host of local and international artists.
He also watches American series, such as Power, Blind Spot and Snowfall and action movies by Marvel productions.
What you probably didn’t know about him is that he is an observer of note. Martin added: “I don’t speak too much; I’m kind of an intimidating individual. I choose when to speak and prefer listening most of the time. I observe a lot and I analyse a person from head to toe.”
Like any other aspiring footballer, Martin would like to earn a professional contract to play in the PSL or National First Division. Martin said: “I aspire to become a professional footballer and to work in an office after retirement – that is why I’m studying hard.”
By Charles Baloyi – Daily Sun and Sunday Sun sports writer
The post Captain Fantastic: Wendelle Martin appeared first on .