Shola Ameobi ‘propelled’ his career against Barcelona, but he says it’s not his best moment at Newcastle United

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Shola Ameobi was involved in some pretty iconic moments during his Newcastle United career.

He is best known for his strikes against Sunderland, with Shola Ameobi so often finding the net in the Tyne-Wear derby. He did it so frequently that Ameobi was dubbed the Mackem Slayer.

The local lad scored five times for Newcastle United against the Black Cats, but his most shocking goal for the Magpies may have come in the Champions League.

In December 2002, an Alan Shearer-less Newcastle United were beaten 3-1 by Barcelona at the Nou Camp. However, the score was briefly 1-1 thanks to Ameobi finding the net at the tender age of 21-years-old.

Shola Ameobi preferred scoring against Sunderland to Barcelona

Ameobi scoring at the Nou Camp was iconic, but he preferred banging them in against Sunderland.

That is what Ameobi admitted during an appearance on Goals On Sunday in 2018.

“Scoring at the Nou Camp as a young boy was magical,” he said.

“It really propelled my career. But the Sunderland goals were probably the epitome of my Newcastle career.

“To be able to play that many derby games, let alone score in a lot of them… As a boy growing up, that’s what you dream of, scoring against your local rivals. To be able to do that time and time again was fantastic.”

Newcastle United need a new ‘Mackem slayer’ as Sunderland return to the Premier League

As Ameobi says, scoring against Sunderland is special. It is something he did five times during his career, earning himself cult hero status on Tyneside.

Now it is time for a new ‘Mackem slayer’ to emerge, with Sunderland back in the Premier League. The Tyne-Wear derby is returning, with the two rivals due to meet in the top flight in December 2025 and March 2026.

The only current Newcastle United player who has scored for the Magpies against Sunderland is Alexander Isak.

He bagged a brace during Newcastle’s 3-0 win over Sunderland in the FA Cup in January 2024. Ever since that day, Newcastle United fans have sung ‘who put the ball in the Mackem’s net, Alexander Isak’.

It remains to be seen if Isak will play in another Tyne-Wear derby, amid speculation over his future. Isak wants to leave Newcastle, with Liverpool interested.

There could also be another opportunity for someone to copy Ameobi and score against Barcelona, but only if Newcastle are drawn against them in the Champions League. The Champions League draw takes place on 28th August, as the Magpies wait to discover their eight opponents.