Ranti Martins was the most lethal box striker in Indian football, claims Arnab Mondal

It was when Dempo SC had no trophy to boast of, in 2004, that they roped in Nigerian footballer Ranti Martins to bolster their attacking line, and the signing proved to be a masterstroke. It was in the same year that Dempo won the I-League (NFL back then), with Martins playing an influential role. Since then, the striker has been scoring for fun, has led the club to four league titles following that, along with a Federation Cup and the Durand Cup win. Arnab Mondal, who played alongside Martins at East Bengal, feels he was the most lethal box striker to ever play football in India.

“He could do anything to score goals. Absolutely anything. He was the most lethal box striker in Indian football. The team that Ranti played for always had a psychological advantage over the other team. This was true for every team he played for in India,” said Arnab Mondal, as reported by Scroll.in.

“He could score a goal at any time and knowing that kept the team morale up even when the team struggled. In crunch situations, Ranti took responsibility and delivered. It gave the team confidence and made opponents wary,” added the former international.

Ranti Martins scored a total of 214 goals in I-League, the highest by any player, with Odafa Okolie following him with 179 strikes. Following his eight-year stint with Dempo, the foreigner played for clubs like Rangdajied FC, East Bengal and ISL outfits FC Goa, before he adieu from the Indian football circuit.