Josef Martínez
Josef Alexander Martínez Mencia (born 19 May 1993) is a Venezuelan professional footballer who plays as a striker for Major League Soccer club CF Montréal and the Venezuela national team.
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Martínez with Atlanta United in 2017 | |||
| 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 | CF Montréal | ||
| 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 | 5 | (2) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2011–2013 | Venezuela U20 | 4 | (2) |
| 2011– | Venezuela | 66 | (14) |
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 March 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 03:44, 18 October 2023 (UTC) | |||
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 later joined Inter Miami for the 2023 season. 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 (15), and formerly held the record for goals in a single season (31 in 2018). Additionally, Martínez scored 100 goals in the MLS faster than any single player in league history (125 games).
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.