Anthony Martial will always be remembered at Manchester United as one of those “streets won’t forget” players, but his career path after leaving has been quite striking.
It was common knowledge that the Anthony Martial who was leaving Man Utd was a shell of the player who thrilled fans with a debut goal at Stretford End against Liverpool.
Still, a mixed spell with positive moments in Greece with AEK Athens ended with a whimper, after which he signed for Monterrey in Mexico last summer.
Now at the club for nearly three months, here’s how Martial is faring at Monterrey in a bit of a “blast from the past” for Man Utd fans.
How Anthony Martial is faring in Mexico
Martial made a brilliant start with AEK Athens last season, so fans in Mexico might have been hoping to see a similar run for Monterrey.
It must be noted that Mexico has one of the biggest Man Utd supporter groups in the world, courtesy of Javier Hernandez, so watching even a Martial who was past it was a great experience for them.
Unfortunately for both Martial and Monterrey fans, it has quickly developed into a nightmare.
Martial has played eight games in all competitions so far, but received just 273 minutes across those games as he struggles with fitness.
To make matters worse, he’s yet to score or assist in those 273 minutes, drawing the ire of fans in Mexico for his bad body language and wastefulness.
A spell that started with a mistake on a nightmare debut for Martial has continued to find new lows every game as the Frenchman has struggled to make it work in his first stint outside Europe.
Martial still retains some United support, as Bruno Fernandes sent him a message after his debut, but it is getting increasingly harder for Monterrey fans to keep throwing their support behind the Frenchman.
Martial could be heading for an early retirement
The fall of Martial can be attributed to the player’s professionalism, but it’s undeniable that he has also been failed by his body.
The burst of acceleration and confidence in his own self has been robbed from Martial by injuries, and the result is the husk of a player who was once rated higher than Kylian Mbappe.
The move to exit European football was also a curious one, as the more physical Mexican football in high temperatures was never going to suit his game or his physique.
He showed in glimpses at AEK Athens last season that he can still contribute as a professional footballer in Europe when his role is simplified, but Mexico has been a huge step back.
If this run of form continues, or, in a worst-case scenario, the injury bug strikes again, then Martial might be advised to consider early retirement despite being just 29 at the time of writing.
Regardless, he will always be appreciated at Old Trafford for what he made the fans feel in the 2015/16 season, where he arrived as a thunderstorm of optimism.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
