Player Details

Name

Josef Martínez

Height

5' 8"

Weight

163 lbs

Date of Birth

5.19.1993 (30)

Birthplace

Valencia, Venezuela

Position

Forward

Position Detail

Striker

Preferred Side

Centre

Footedness

Right

Player Category

Designated Player
Career Summary

Martínez signed as a Designated Player on loan from Torino on Feb. 2, 2017 and later secured a permanent transfer on March 21, 2017. After scoring 19 goals in 20 matches during his first season with Atlanta United in 2017, Martínez followed that up with a record-breaking campaign in 2018 in which he became the first MLS player to win All-Star, regular season and MLS Cup MVP honors in the same season. The Venezuelan striker scored 31 goals in 2018 to win MLS’ Golden Boot, breaking the league’s regular season scoring record of 27. He then added four goals during the MLS Cup Playoffs to break the league’s combined scoring record with 35 goals and deliver Atlanta its first MLS Cup title. 

Martínez scored 33 goals in 39 appearances across all competitions in 2019 and was the team’s top scorer in both MLS and Concacaf Champions League. He scored 27 goals and added four assists in MLS and finished third in both MVP voting and the Golden Boot race. The striker scored in an MLS-record 15 consecutive matches (5/24-9/18) and holds the record for most goals scored in a three-season span in MLS history (77 from 2017-19). Martínez joined elite MLS company by becoming just the seventh player to record three consecutive 15+ goal seasons. 

He also holds the league’s all-time hat trick record with six and single-season mark with three (2017 and 2018). 

After suffering a torn ACL in the 2020 MLS season-opener, Martínez returned in 2021 to score a team-high 12 goals in 24 appearances (18 starts) and became the fastest player in MLS history to score 100 goals in all competitions, reaching the mark in just 125 games. 

2021 (Atlanta United): Started 21 of 28 appearances in all competitions. Started 18 of his 24 MLS appearances and scored a team-high 12 goals. Added one assist. Became the fastest player in MLS history to score 100 goals in all competitions, reaching the mark in just 125 games. Scored 100th goal against Inter Miami CF on Sept. 29. MLS Cup Playoffs: Started Atlanta’s first round match against New York City. Concacaf Champions League: Started three of his four appearances. Came off the bench in the first leg against Alajuelense before starting the second leg. Started both legs against Philadelphia Union. 

2020 (Atlanta United): Started three matches across all competitions. Suffered a torn right ACL in Atlanta’s first MLS match at Nashville SC on March 18 and missed the remainder of the season. Concacaf Champions League: Started two matches and was the club’s joint top scorer in the tournament with two goals and tied for the team-high with two assists. Martinez scored a goal in each leg of Atlanta’s Round of 16 matchup with FC Motagua and added two assists in the return leg to send Atlanta to the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year.

2019 (Atlanta United): Started all 29 of his league appearances and recorded 27 goals and four assists in 2581 minutes played. Scored in an MLS-record 15 consecutive matches (5/24-9/18). Most goals scored in a three-season span in MLS history (77 from 2017-19). Named to MLS Best XI, the only player to be chosen in each of the past three seasons. Finished third in MVP voting and the Golden Boot race. Voted to his third MLS All-Star Team. Two-time MLS Player of the Month (July, August) and three-time MLS Player of the Week. Won MLSsoccer.com’s Goal of the Year for his finish at FC Cincinnati (9/18). One of seven MLS players to score 15+ goals in three consecutive seasons. MLS Cup Playoffs: Started all three matches and scored in Atlanta’s 2-0 win vs. Philadelphia (10/24). U.S. Open Cup: Started two matches on Atlanta’s run to the 2019 US. Open Cup title and scored a goal in Atlanta’s 2-0 win against Saint Louis FC (7/10). Concacaf Champions League: Started all four of Atlanta’s matches against C.S. Herediano and CF Monterrey and was the team’s top scorer in the competition with three goals. Campeones Cup: Started and scored game-winning goalin Atlanta’s 3-2 win against Club America (8/14).

2018 (Atlanta United): The Venezuelan forward won three Most Valuable Player awards (MLS season, MLS All-Star Game, MLS Cup) and claimed the Golden Boot by setting the league’s all-time single-season scoring record with 31 goals. His 35 goals, including playoffs, also set an MLS single-season record. Martinez registered three hat tricks in 2018, giving him an MLS career record of six. He is the fastest player in league history to reach those milestones. He tied the MLS record for goals in consecutive matches with nine (6/30 – 8/24). A two-time MLS Player of the Month (July, August) and four-time MLS Player of the Week. Martinez was named to MLS Team of the Week nine times, while earning MLS Goal of the Week honors on three occasions. MLS Cup Playoffs: Martinez scored two goals in the second leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals to help Atlanta United advance past NYCFC. The Venezuelan striker added a goal in the Eastern Conference Final against New York Red Bulls. In the 2018 MLS Cup, Martinez scored the opening goal, then had an assist on the second goal to earn MVP honors in Atlanta’s 2-0 victory over Portland Timbers. He became the first MLS player to win All-Star, League and MLS Cup MVP honors in the same season.

2017 (Atlanta United): The 24-year-old Venezuelan forward scored 19 goals in only 17 starts in his debut MLS season, the most ever by a player on an expansion team. Martínez’s three hat tricks in one season tied an MLS mark while his 0.95 goals per game average ranks third in league history amongst players with a least five goals scored in a single season. Two-time MLS Player of the Month (March, September) and two-time MLS Player of the Week. Named to MLS Team of the Week four times and voted MLS Goal of the Week once. 20 appearances and 17 starts. MLS Cup Playoffs: Started and played 114 minutes against Columbus. US Open Cup: Played 90 minutes and scored one goal in 3-2 win over Charleston on June 14.

2016/2017 (Torino): In 11 Serie A matches, Martinez scored once against Bologna (Aug. 28). He made two starts in the Coppa Italia and scored in a 4-1 win over Vercelli (Aug. 13).

2015/2016 (Torino): In 21 league matches, Martinez scored three goals and one assist. He netted two goals and an assist in a 5-1 win over Udinese (April 30). In two Coppa Italia matches he scored once against Pescara (Aug. 16) and recorded two assists against Cesena (Dec. 1).

2014/2015 (Torino): In the summer of 2014, Martinez transferred to Torino and burst onto the scene in Italy as a 21-year-old when he netted seven goals with three assists in 40 combined appearances. He scored his first goal for Torino in a Europa League Qualifier against Brommapojkarna in a 4-0 win on Aug. 7. Martinez scored his first goal in Serie A against Palermo on Dec. 6. Five days later, he scored twice in a Europa League match against Copenhagen on Dec. 11. Martinez scored in his first- career Coppa Italia match when he netted the lone goal in a 3-1 loss to Lazio on Jan. 14. He had a career day against Hellas Verona (Feb. 7), taking part in each goal of a 3-1 win when he scored once and dished out two assists. On the final match of the season, Martinez scored once with one assist in a 5-0 victory over Cesena (May 31).

2013/2014 (FC Thun and Young Boys): Martinez began the year on loan fellow Swiss club FC Thun. There he scored eight goals in 18 Super League games and was temporarily Switzerland’s top-scorer. Martinez was then recalled by Young Boys for the duration of the season where he scored twice and added four assists over 18 matches. He scored in his first three matches with Thun against Zurish (July 14), St. Gallen (July 21) and parent club Young Boys (July 28) when he also added an assist. Martinez scored twice with an assist against Lausanne-Sport (Sept. 1). In his third match back with Young Boys, he replicated that performance with another two goals and an assist against Lausanne-Sport (Feb. 16). Martinez also scored once in the Europa League against Genk (Dec. 3) and the Swiss Cup against Echallens (Aug. 18). He finished the year with 12 goals and seven assists in 50 combined appearances with Thun and Young Boys.

2012/2013 (Young Boys): Martinez played eight Super League matches and scored once with one assist. In 11 matches with Young Boys U-21 in 1. Liga, Martinez scored 18 goals. He had five multi-goal matches, including a five-goal performance against Echallens (Nov. 25).

2011/2012 (Caracas and Young Boys): Martinez made 15 appearances and scored four goals with Caracas. He transferred to Young Boys of the Swiss Super League in 2012 and made his debut in the Super League on Feb. 5 against Servette. In 11 league matches he started eight and recorded one assist in a 4-0 win over Thun (March 25).

2010/2011 (Caracas): Martinez made his professional debut with Caracas against Estudiantes Merida on Aug. 21. He scored his first goal in a league match against Petare on Nov. 21. Martinez scored four goals in 21 Primera Division matches. In 28 combined appearances he scored five goals.

INTERNATIONAL: Has 51appearances, nine goals and three assists. Martinez made his Venezuelan National Team debut Aug. 7, 2011 in a friendly against El Salvador. Since then he has represented La Vinotinto in World Cup Qualification matches for2014 Brazil and 2018 Russia, and in Copa America 2015, 2016, 2019. In 21World Cup Qualifying matches he has scored five goals