Former Newcastle man Martins is one of the most recognisable African players in world football.

No doubt one of the most talented members of the Nigeria squad, he has plenty of experience at the highest levels of European competition.

The striker should be an automatic choice this summer if fit, and coach Lars Lagerback will hope Martins' pace, strength and power can ruffle the feathers of opposing defenders in South Africa - the Argentines in particular.

After making his Super Eagles debut in 2004, Martins' international career has been turbulent. He almost quit the Nigeria squad in 2006 after the country's FA wrongly listed his age as 28, an error which put his club career in serious jeopardy at the time.

It was Martins' turn to incur the wrath of the Nigerian FA a year later, when he was almost banned from selection after going AWOL to visit his sick mother as his team played a friendly against Ghana. A grovelling apology rescued his international career, and Martins went on to play in the African Cup of Nations in 2008 and 2010.

Beginning his club career with Italian giants Inter Milan, Martins had a highly impressive scoring record with the Nerazzurri, but was allowed to leave after the arrival of Hernan Crespo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

He became the first Magpie after Alan Shearer to wear the No 9 shirt on Tyneside, before being first to jump ship a year ago after the Geordies' plummeted from the Premier League.

His season at new club Wolfsburg has been disrupted by injury, but Martins scored two goals in qualifying against Kenya to earn the Super Eagles' place in South Africa, and will now be raring to go for the tournament proper.