Josef Martínez

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

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. He later joined Inter Miami for the 2023 season. He set the MLS record for the fastest six career hat-tricks (in his first 44 games), holds the record for most consecutive games with a goal (15), and formerly held the record for goals in a single season (31 in 2018). Additionally, Martínez scored 100 goals in the MLS in 125 games, the second-fastest in league history behind Carlos Vela (124 games). In 2018, Martínez won the League MVP, Golden Boot, and MLS Cup Final MVP, making him one of the most decorated single-season players in MLS history. He is regarded as one of the greatest players in MLS history, and the greatest player in Atlanta United history. 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.

In Their Own Story

The atmosphere shifted on June 2, 2018, when Martínez converted a late penalty against Philadelphia Union to notch his fifth MLS hat-trick, tying the league record. Just weeks later, on July 21 against DC United, he broke that record in just his 44th game. The defining moment of his dominance came on August 24, 2018, when he scored his 28th goal against Orlando City to shatter the single-season record held by Roy Lassiter and Chris Wondolowski. Utilizing quick footwork to cut back and chip goalkeeper Joe Bendik, Martínez set the new mark in just his 26th match of that season. The stadium erupted as he celebrated with teammates, cementing a campaign where Atlanta United won the MLS Cup and he was named MVP of both the regular season and the final. Even after a torn ACL tore through his 2020 season, he returned to score in the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League, proving his resilience against all odds.

Reader's Guide

Martínez made his debut for Caracas 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. On 3 January 2012, Caracas announced Martínez had been sold to Young Boys. He debuted on 5 February 2012 against Servette, 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 Grasshoppers. After one season in the Swiss capital city, he was sent on loan to Thun. After scoring eight 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. 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 (7–0 on aggregate). 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 5–1 in favour of Torino. On 30 April 2016, he scored his first brace in Serie A, as Torino won 5–1 away to Udinese. 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 2–1 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 Venezuela 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 tri

Did You Know?

• He set the MLS record for the fastest six career hat-tricks, achieving them in his first 44 games.
• He scored 100 goals in the MLS in 125 games, the second-fastest in league history.
• He scored his first brace in the Europa League against Copenhagen on December 11, 2014.
• He scored hat tricks in two games against the New England Revolution and Orlando City in 2017, with a match against Colorado Rapids in between.

Venezuelan Origins and European Development

Josef Alexander Martínez Mencia began his professional career with Caracas, making his debut on August 21, 2010, against Estudiantes de Mérida. He scored his first goal in a 2–2 draw with Deportivo Petare later that year. In January 2012, he moved to Swiss Super League club Young Boys alongside Alexander Gonzalez. After debuting against Servette, he scored his first goal for the club with a volley against Grasshoppers on October 21, 2012. A subsequent loan to Thun saw him score eight goals in 18 games, briefly becoming the league's top scorer before returning to Young Boys. In June 2014, Torino signed Martínez for €3 million. He debuted in a Europa League win against Brommapojkarna and scored his first Serie A goal against Palermo on December 7, 2014. He added a brace against Copenhagen in the Europa League and another brace in Serie A against Udinese in April 2016.

Record-Breaking Dominance at Atlanta United

Martínez joined Atlanta United on February 2, 2017, making his league debut on March 5 against New York Red Bulls. He scored the club's first-ever hat-trick against Minnesota United a week later. After activating a buyout clause in March, he suffered a quadriceps injury playing for Venezuela but returned to score consecutive hat-tricks, finishing his debut season with 20 goals and an MLS Best XI selection. The 2018 season was historic: he tied the hat-trick record in June and broke it in July after just 44 games. On August 24, he scored his 28th goal to break the single-season record of 31 goals. He also set a record for most consecutive games with a goal (15) in September 2019. Despite missing all of 2020 due to an ACL tear, he returned in 2021 to score against Inter Miami and Orlando City. In 2022, after winning the Goal of the Year award, he left the club following a fallout with manager Gonzalo Pineda.

International Career with Venezuela

Martínez is a former Venezuela under-20 international who made his senior debut on August 7, 2011, against El Salvador as a substitute. He has represented his nation at three Copa América tournaments. A standout moment occurred on November 10, 2016, when he scored a hat-trick against Bolivia in a 5–0 World Cup qualifier win in Maturín. His international career runs parallel to his club success, showcasing his ability to perform for his country alongside his record-breaking achievements at the MLS level.

Legacy and Impact on MLS

Regarded as one of the greatest players in MLS history, Martínez holds the records for most career hat-tricks (six), fastest to 100 goals (125 games), and most consecutive games with a goal (15). He was the first player to win MVP, All-Star Game MVP, Golden Boot, and MLS Cup Final MVP in a single season. His 31 goals in 2018 set a new benchmark for single-season scoring that stood until he broke it himself. Although he left Atlanta United after six seasons due to contract disputes, his status as the greatest player in the club's history remains undisputed. He continued his career with Inter Miami, CF Montréal, San Jose Earthquakes, and Tijuana before departing in 2026.