Arsenal: Gabriel Martinelli a superstar for unexpected reasons

Gabriel Martinelli again showed how brilliant he is in Arsenal’s staggering 2-2 draw with Chelsea. The 18-year-old Brazilian is a superstar, but not for the obvious reasons.

Talk about a breakout performance. In fact, that is precisely what Gabriel Martinelli has been doing throughout his first season as a professional based in Europe. The 18-year-old scored on his EFL Cup debut, Europa League debut, full Premier League debut, and now was the best player on the pitch against a fellow top-six team, scoring a brilliant, 67-yard-long goal and lifting Arsenal from a man and a goal down to a remarkable 2-2 draw against Chelsea.

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Martinelli is a superstar in the making. He has been all season long, his incessant attitude, goalscoring knack, and direct, purposeful, pacy dribbling all comprising one of the most threatening teenager attackers in world football. And this was his shining moment.

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As head coach Mikel Arteta highlighted in his post-match press conference, Martinelli was simply brilliant:

"“To play in this stadium the way he’s done, and with 10 men, and to play against Azpilicueta who’s in my opinion one of the best defenders in the league. He was going against him every single time. You need courage to do that. Then his energy. I wanted to take him off a few times because he looked knackered. He was cramping and the next minute he’s sprinting 60 yards again. He absolutely stepped up.”"

Bar the outrageous goal which will be replayed over and over again throughout his glistening career, what was so impressive about Martinelli’s performance was his attitude and application. The Brazilian made 26 sprints. The next highest on the entire pitch was Chelsea’s Emerson with 14. The next highest Arsenal players were Alexandre Lacazette and Bukayo Saka with 11 each, less than half. He also clocked 34.11 km/h, the top speed of any player on the night.

Martinelli’s attitude is something that his teammates have picked up on. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang glowed when talking about the teenager, while David Luiz tipped him for the stardom because of his ambition and work-rate. And now Hector Bellerin has had his say on the personality and perseverance of his new superstar teammate:

"“A lot of people talk about his talent, but what people don’t see is that Gabi is a professional. He turns up early every day. He does all the stuff and everything anyone asks him to do. He is the first player to press and the last player to leave everything on the pitch. The goals are just a plus. He helps us in every single way and the thing that everyone needs to praise him for his attitude. That is what makes him a player.”"

Martinelli’s talent is outrageous. But after one preseason game, everyone commented on his sensational natural ability and potential. What makes him special, what makes him destined for stardom, is the unexpected joy of his attitude. There are plenty of players who have had talent. But very few possess the aptitude and willingness to apply themselves and fulfil that talent. This is where Martinelli shines.

Martinelli is on his way to becoming a superstar. But it is not for the obvious reasons. He is talented, yes, but it is his attitude that separates him from everyone else.