16 Facts About Josef Martinez

Josef Alexander Martinez Mencia was born on 19 May 1993 and is a Venezuelan professional footballer who plays as a striker for Major League Soccer club Atlanta United and the Venezuela national team.

Josef Martinez holds the MLS record for career hat-tricks with six in his first 44 games, the record for cumulative goals in regular and post season with 35, the record for most consecutive games with a goal, and formerly held the record for goals in a single season.

Additionally, Martinez scored 100 goals in the MLS faster than any single player in league history.

In 2018, Josef Martinez became the most decorated single-season player in MLS history by winning the League MVP, All-Star Game MVP, Golden Boot, and MLS Cup Final MVP.

On 3 January 2012, Caracas announced Josef Martinez had been sold to BSC Young Boys of the Swiss Super League for a period of four years along with fellow right-back Alexander Gonzalez.

Related searches

On 2 February 2017, Josef Martinez was loaned with a buying option to Major League Soccer expansion team Atlanta United.

On 2 June 2018, Josef Martinez converted a late penalty kick against Philadelphia Union to notch his fifth MLS hat-trick, tying the league record for hat-tricks and doing so faster than any other player in league history.

Josef Martinez broke the record for hat-tricks on 21 July 2018 against DC United, after only 44 games.

Josef Martinez earned the award having scored in nine straight matches, tying his own MLS record set the previous season, which was shared with Diego Valeri.

On 29 February 2020, in Atlanta United's first game of the 2020 season, Josef Martinez suffered a torn ACL against MLS debutant Nashville SC.

In July 2021, after returning from Copa America, it was revealed by coach Gabriel Heinze that Josef Martinez was training away from the team, with no specific reason given.

Josef Martinez earned a red carded in the 82nd minute following an altercation with Montreal's Victor Wanyama.

Josef Martinez scored his first goal of the 2022 season on 13 March 2022.

Josef Martinez made his international debut on 7 August 2011 against El Salvador as a substitute in the 76th minute.

Primarily a forward, Josef Martinez is an aggressive and powerful player, who usually plays in a central role as a main striker, but who is capable of playing as a winger.

Josef Martinez's pace, dribbling ability, eye for goal, and his accurate finishing ability with either foot, as well as his head, combined with his ability to make attacking runs off the ball from behind and get into good positions, make him a dangerous attacking threat in the penalty area.