The NFL is gathering pace around the world, as the USA’s biggest sport tries to reach a global market, and undoubtedly is gaining a foothold in Spain. With strong reports that a game will be held in Spain in the near future, a number of high-profile footballers have spoken about their enjoyment of it.
Antoine Griezmann has even gone so far as to appear on some of the NFL’s Spanish language coverage of the sport, giving his thoughts on the games. He has also been an analyst during a televised game at one point.
The latest to declare their love of the NFL is Barcelona defender Inigo Martinez.
“I try to follow it, every time I can I try to watch. It is a sport where it is very complicated, they study the opponent in obscene detail. I have seen some documentaries about how they watch and study the plays and all of that is based a lot on the fact that it is a team, although there are two squads that some defend and others attack, there it is a strong group and everyone pulls together.”
“Everyone has to know all the plays, there are a thousand of them, and that’s where the strength of a team lies, which is being united, with a leader on the field where you have to pay attention to him and the truth is that it is a sport I like. It is short because there are many injuries and a lot of impact but that is logical and the truth is that it is a sport that has always attracted me.”
In terms of his personal preferences, Martinez couldn’t help but name arguably the best player in the game over the past five years, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
“I am very nuch a Mahomes guy, and the truth is that I always loved him, before it was Brady but he left us and now I am a big Mahomes guy,” he told DAZN, as covered by MD.
With Brazil hosting an NFL game next year in Sao Paulo, Spain is set to become the fifth country to outwith the US to host an NFL game as part of their international series. It looks likely that the Santiago Bernabeu will be the venue for the inaugural Spanish game in 2025.