Josef Martínez facts for kids
Martínez with Atlanta United in 2017
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Josef Alexander Martínez Mencia | ||
| Date of birth | 19 May 1993 | ||
| Place of birth | Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
San Jose Earthquakes | ||
| Number | 17 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2010 | Caracas | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010–2012 | Caracas | 36 | (8) |
| 2012–2014 | Young Boys | 37 | (4) |
| 2013–2014 | → Thun (loan) | 18 | (8) |
| 2014–2017 | Torino | 58 | (7) |
| 2017 | → Atlanta United (loan) | 3 | (5) |
| 2017–2022 | Atlanta United | 131 | (93) |
| 2023 | Inter Miami | 27 | (7) |
| 2024 | CF Montréal | 23 | (11) |
| 2025– | San Jose Earthquakes | 19 | (9) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2011–2013 | Venezuela U20 | 4 | (2) |
| 2011– | Venezuela | 68 | (14) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 July 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 03:26, 26 June 2025 (UTC) |
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Josef Alexander Martínez Mencia (born 19 May 1993) is a professional football player from Venezuela. He plays as a striker for the Major League Soccer club San Jose Earthquakes. He also plays for the Venezuela national team.
Josef Martínez started his football journey with Caracas in Venezuela. In 2012, he moved to the Swiss Super League club Young Boys. He also spent a year on loan at Thun. In 2014, he joined the Italian club Torino. Then, in 2017, he moved to the new Major League Soccer team, Atlanta United. He later played for Inter Miami in 2023 and CF Montréal in 2024. As of 2025, he plays for San Jose Earthquakes.
Martínez holds several impressive records in MLS. He has the most career hat-tricks (six) in his first 44 games. He also holds the record for the most goals in regular and post-season games combined (35). He once scored in 15 consecutive games, which is another league record. He was also the fastest player to score 100 goals in MLS, reaching the milestone in just 125 games.
In 2018, Martínez had an amazing year. He won the League MVP award, the All-Star Game MVP, the Golden Boot (for most goals), and the MLS Cup Final MVP. He also played for Venezuela's under-20 team. He made his debut for the senior Venezuela national team in 2011. He has represented his country in three Copa América tournaments.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Playing for Caracas
Martínez played his first game for Caracas on 21 August 2010. He came into the game as a substitute and his team won 1–0. He scored his first goal for Caracas on 21 November 2010 in a 2–2 draw.
Time with Young Boys
On 3 January 2012, Martínez moved to Young Boys in Switzerland. He signed a four-year contract. He played his first game for Young Boys on 5 February 2012. He scored his first goal for the club on 21 October 2012.
Loan to Thun
After one season, he was loaned to Thun. He scored eight goals in 18 games for Thun. This made him one of the top scorers in the Swiss Super League at the time. Young Boys then called him back to their team.
Playing for Torino
On 7 June 2014, Martínez joined Serie A club Torino in Italy. He made his first appearance in a Europa League match. He scored his first goal for Torino in the return leg of that competition.
He played his first league game on 14 September. On 7 December, he scored his first goal in Serie A. A few days later, he scored two goals in a Europa League match. In April 2016, he scored two goals in a Serie A game against Udinese.
Success with Atlanta United
On 2 February 2017, Martínez was loaned to the new Major League Soccer team, Atlanta United. He played his first league game on 5 March. The next week, he scored his first hat-trick for the club. This was also the first hat-trick in Atlanta United's history.
Atlanta United bought him permanently on 21 March. He was named MLS Player of the Month for March. This was because he scored five goals in his first three games.
On 23 March, Martínez got injured while playing for Venezuela. He returned to play after two months. He then scored hat-tricks in two games in a row. He was named MLS Player of the Month again for September 2017. Even with injuries, he scored 20 goals in his first year. He was also named to the MLS Best XI team.
2018 Season Highlights
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On 2 June 2018, Martínez scored his fifth MLS hat-trick. This tied the league record. He broke the record on 21 July 2018, scoring his sixth hat-trick in only 44 games.
He was voted MLS Player of the Month for July. He scored ten goals and had one assist that month. He also scored the only goal for the MLS All-Stars against Juventus. He was named the MVP of that game.
On 24 August 2018, he scored his 28th goal of the season. This broke the league's single-season goal record. He set this record in just his 26th match. He was named MLS Player of the Month for August 2018. Atlanta United won the MLS Cup that season.
2019 Season Highlights
On 6 August 2019, Martínez won the MLS Player of the Month award for July. He had scored in nine straight matches. This tied his own MLS record from the previous season.
On 23 August, he set a new MLS record. He scored a goal in 12 consecutive games. This helped his team win 1–0. On 18 September, he extended his goal-scoring streak to 15 consecutive games. This is one of the longest streaks in world football history.
2020 Season Injury
On 29 February 2020, Martínez suffered a serious knee injury. He tore his ACL in Atlanta United's first game of the season. Because of this, he missed the entire 2020 season.
2021 Season Return
Martínez returned to play on 6 April 2021. He came on as a substitute in a CONCACAF Champions League game. On 9 May 2021, he scored his first goal of the season.
After returning from the Copa América, he trained separately from the team for a short time. He played his first match back on 21 July. On 30 July 2021, he scored a goal in the first minute of a game. He also scored on 4 August. In that game, he received a red card after an argument. He returned on 15 August and scored the only goal in a 1–0 win.
2022 Season and Departure
Martínez scored his first goal of the 2022 season on 13 March 2022. After another knee surgery, he started his first game since April. He scored a goal and helped set up another.
At the end of the 2022 season, Martínez won the MLS Goal of the Year award. He then left Atlanta United after six seasons with the club.
Time with Inter Miami
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On 18 January 2023, Martínez was traded to Inter Miami. He played his first game for Inter Miami on 25 February 2023. His team won 2–0.
On 19 August, Inter Miami won the 2023 Leagues Cup. Martínez scored three goals in that competition. Inter Miami also reached the 2023 U.S. Open Cup final. They lost 1–2, with Martínez scoring their only goal.
Inter Miami confirmed that Martínez would leave the club after just one season.
Playing for CF Montréal
On 6 February 2024, CF Montréal announced they had signed Martínez. He joined them as a free agent for the 2024 season. He scored 13 goals and made 3 assists during his time there.
Joining San Jose Earthquakes
On 13 January 2025, Martínez joined San Jose Earthquakes. He signed a one-year contract with the club.
International Career
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Martínez played his first international game for Venezuela on 7 August 2011. He came on as a substitute.
On 10 November 2016, Martínez scored three goals (a hat-trick) against Bolivia. Venezuela won that game 5–0.
How Josef Martínez Plays
Josef Martínez is mainly a forward. He usually plays in a central role as a main striker. He can also play as a winger. He is known for being an aggressive and powerful player.
He has good speed and dribbling skills. He has a great eye for goal and can finish accurately with both feet and his head. He is also good at making runs without the ball to get into scoring positions. These skills make him a dangerous player in the penalty area.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Caracas | 2010–11 | Venezuelan Primera División | 21 | 4 | — | 7 | 1 | — | 28 | 5 | ||
| 2011–12 | 15 | 4 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 15 | 4 | ||||
| Total | 36 | 8 | — | 7 | 1 | — | 43 | 9 | ||||
| Young Boys | 2011–12 | Swiss Super League | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 1 | ||||
| 2013–14 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 37 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 4 | ||||
| Thun | 2013–14 | Swiss Super League | 18 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 1 | — | 32 | 10 | |
| Torino | 2014–15 | Serie A | 26 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 3 | — | 40 | 7 | |
| 2015–16 | 21 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 23 | 4 | ||||
| 2016–17 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 12 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 58 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 3 | — | 75 | 13 | |||
| Atlanta United | 2017 | MLS | 20 | 19 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | 22 | 20 | |
| 2018 | 34 | 31 | — | — | 5 | 4 | 39 | 35 | ||||
| 2019 | 29 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 39 | 33 | ||
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 2 | — | 3 | 2 | ||||
| 2021 | 24 | 12 | — | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 12 | |||
| 2022 | 26 | 9 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 26 | 9 | ||||
| Total | 134 | 98 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 158 | 111 | ||
| Inter Miami | 2023 | MLS | 27 | 7 | 6 | 2 | — | 7 | 3 | 40 | 12 | |
| CF Montréal | 2024 | MLS | 23 | 11 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 3 | 26 | 14 | |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 2025 | MLS | 19 | 9 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 20 | 9 | |
| Career total | 352 | 152 | 18 | 8 | 42 | 11 | 20 | 11 | 432 | 182 | ||
International Appearances
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venezuela | 2011 | 3 | 0 |
| 2012 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2014 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2016 | 15 | 5 | |
| 2017 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2021 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 68 | 14 | |
- Scores and results list Venezuela's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Martínez goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 May 2013 | Estadio José Pachencho Romero, Maracaibo, Venezuela | 7 |  El Salvador |
2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 2 | 14 August 2013 | Estadio José Pachencho Romero, Maracaibo, Venezuela | 9 |  Bolivia |
1–0 | 2–2 | Friendly |
| 3 | 31 March 2015 | Lockhart Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, United States | 17 |  Peru |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 4 | 17 November 2015 | Estadio Cachamay, Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela | 22 |  Ecuador |
1–3 | 1–3 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 5 June 2016 | Soldier Field, Chicago, United States | 28 |  Jamaica |
1–0 | 1–0 | Copa América Centenario |
| 6 | 6 September 2016 | Estadio Metropolitano de Mérida, Mérida, Venezuela | 33 |  Argentina |
2–0 | 2–2 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 7 | 10 November 2016 | Estadio Monumental de Maturín, Maturín, Venezuela | 36 | Bolivia |
2–0 | 5–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 8 | 3–0 | ||||||
| 9 | 4–0 | ||||||
| 10 | 22 March 2019 | Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain | 46 | Argentina |
3–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 11 | 22 June 2019 | Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Brazil | 50 | Bolivia |
3–1 | 3–1 | 2019 Copa América |
| 12 | 1 February 2022 | Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay | 57 |  Uruguay |
1–4 | 1–4 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 13 | 27 September 2022 | Stadion Wiener Neustadt, Wiener Neustadt, Austria | 60 |  United Arab Emirates |
4–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 14 | 25 March 2023 | Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | 61 |  Saudi Arabia |
1–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |
Awards and Achievements
Atlanta United
- MLS Cup: 2018
- Eastern Conference: 2018
- U.S. Open Cup: 2019
- Campeones Cup: 2019
Inter Miami
- Leagues Cup: 2023
Individual Awards
- Swiss Super League Team of the Year: 2013–14
- MLS Best XI: 2017, 2018, 2019
- MLS Most Valuable Player: 2018
- MLS Golden Boot: 2018
- MLS All-Star: 2018, 2019
- MLS All-Star Game MVP: 2018
- MLS Player of the Month (6 times): March 2017, September 2017, July 2018, August 2018, July 2019, August 2019
- MLS Cup MVP: 2018
- MLS 100 goals club
- MLS Goal of the Year: 2019, 2022
See also
In Spanish: Josef Martínez para niños
