Josef Martínez


Josef Alexander Martínez Mencia is a Venezuelan professional footballer who plays as a striker for American club Atlanta United FC, and the Venezuela national team.
Josef Martínez began his career with Caracas. In 2012, he was acquired by the Swiss Super League club Young Boys before spending a year on loan at Thun. In 2014, he was sold to Italian club Torino, and in 2017, Major League Soccer expansion side, Atlanta United FC. He 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.
In 2018, Martínez 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.
He is a former Venezuela under-20 international. In 2011, he made his debut for the senior Venezuela national team against El Salvador, and has since represented his nation at three editions of the Copa América.

Club career

Caracas

Martínez made his debut for Caracas FC on 21 August 2010 against Estudiantes de Mérida, entering as a substitute in the 70th minute, won 1–0. He scored his first goal in a 2–2 draw against Deportivo Petare on 21 November 2010.

Young Boys

On 3 January 2012, Caracas announced Martínez 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. He debuted on 5 February 2012 against Servette FC, which the Young Boys won 3–1. After a string of good performances, Martínez was called up to the Venezuela national team, as well as awarded his first start for Young Boys on 21 October 2012, in which he scored his first goal for the Swiss club with a volley in the 50th minute against Grasshopper Club Zürich.

Loan to FC Thun

After one season in the Swiss capital city, he was sent on loan to Thun. After scoring 8 goals in 18 games with the team from Bernese Oberland, he was momentarily the top scorer in the Swiss Super League and recalled by Young Boys.

Torino

On 7 June 2014, Martínez was sold to Italian Serie A club Torino for a reported fee of €3 million. He made his debut in a 0–3 away win against Sweden's Brommapojkarna in the third round of the 2014–15 Europa League. He scored his first goal for the Granata in the return leg, won 4–0 in Turin.
He made his league debut on 14 September in a 2–0 loss away to Sampdoria. On 7 December, he scored his first goal in Serie A during a 2–2 draw with Palermo. Four days later, he scored his first brace in the Europa League against Copenhagen, which ended 1–5 in favour of Torino.
On 30 April 2016, he scored his first brace in Serie A, as Torino won 1–5 away to Udinese.

Atlanta United

On 2 February 2017, Martínez was loaned with a buying option to Major League Soccer expansion team Atlanta United. He made his league debut on 5 March in a 1–2 home defeat against New York Red Bulls. He scored his first career hat-trick, and the first hat-trick in the history of the club, in a 6–1 win at Minnesota United the following week.
On 21 March, Atlanta announced they had activated the buyout clause for an undisclosed transfer fee. He was named the MLS Player of the Month for March after scoring five goals in his first three games in the league.
On 23 March, while playing for the Venezuelan national team against Peru, Martínez injured his left quadricep. After more than two months of recuperation, he returned to action only to be injured again over the summer. Upon his return from the second injury, he scored hat tricks in two consecutive games against the New England Revolution and Orlando City, and was named the MLS Player of the Month for September 2017. Atlanta United finished in a tie for third in the Eastern Conference, but were eliminated in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs by Columbus Crew. Despite only making 20 appearances due to injury, Martínez finished his first year in Atlanta fourth in the league in scoring, with 20 goals in all competitions, and was named to the MLS Best XI for the 2017 season.

2018 season

On 2 June 2018, Martínez 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. He broke the record for hat-tricks on 21 July 2018 against DC United, after only 44 games.
He was voted the MLS Player of the Month for July after scoring nine goals and adding one assist to lead the Five Stripes to a 3–1–1 record.
He scored the only goal for the MLS All-Stars in the 2018 MLS All-Star Game against Juventus, a 1–1 draw, and was named MVP.
On 24 August 2018, he scored his 28th goal of the season, a game winner in Orlando City, to break the league single-season record of 27, held by Roy Lassiter, Chris Wondolowski, and Bradley Wright-Phillips. After failing to capitalize on numerous opportunities, Martínez utilized his quick footwork to cut back against the defender and then chip Joe Bendik to set the record in just his 26th match. He was named MLS Player of the Month for August 2018.

2019 season

On 6 August 2019, Martínez was awarded the MLS Player of the Month for July. He earned the award having scored in nine straight matches, tying his own MLS record set the previous season, which was also shared with Diego Valeri.
On 23 August, he set a new MLS record by scoring a goal in 12 consecutive games. The goal helped his side to a 1–0 win over rivals Orlando and was his 15th strike during the streak. On 18 September, Martínez extended his goal-scoring record to 15 consecutive games, which is the third longest streak in world football after Lionel Messi and Tor Henning Hamre.

2020 season

On February 29, 2020, in Atlanta United’s first game of the 2020 season, Martínez suffered a torn ACL against MLS debutant Nashville SC. Martínez is set to miss the entirety of the 2020 season.

International career

Martínez made his international debut on 7 August 2011 against El Salvador as a substitute in the 76th minute.
On 10 November 2016, Martínez scored a hat-trick against Bolivia in a 5–0 win in Maturín.

Style of play

Primarily a forward, Martínez is a diminutive yet aggressive and powerful player, who usually plays in a central role as a main striker, but who is also capable of playing as a winger. His 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.

Career statistics

Club

International

International goals

No.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
122 May 2013Estadio José Pachencho Romero, Maracaibo, Venezuela72–12–1Friendly
214 August 2013Estadio José Pachencho Romero, Maracaibo, Venezuela91–02–2Friendly
331 March 2015Lockhart Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, United States171–01–0Friendly
417 November 2015Estadio Cachamay, Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela221–31–32018 FIFA World Cup qualification
-20 May 2016Estadio Municipal de Riazor, A Coruña, Galiza241–11–1Friendly
55 June 2016Soldier Field, Chicago, United States281–01–0Copa América Centenario
66 September 2016Estadio Metropolitano de Mérida, Mérida, Venezuela332–02–22018 FIFA World Cup qualification
710 November 2016Estadio Monumental de Maturín, Maturín, Venezuela362–05–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
810 November 2016Estadio Monumental de Maturín, Maturín, Venezuela363–05–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
910 November 2016Estadio Monumental de Maturín, Maturín, Venezuela364–05–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
1022 March 2019Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain463–13–1Friendly
1122 June 2019Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Brazil503–13–12019 Copa América

Honours

Club

;Atlanta United