Josef Martínez Bio
Josef Alexander Martínez Mencia (born 19 May 1993) is a Venezuelan professional footballer who plays as a striker. Known for his finishing, movement, and lethal hat-trick record, he is regarded as one of the greatest players in Major League Soccer history and the greatest in Atlanta United history. After a record-shattering run in MLS, he continued his career in North America before moving to Liga MX.
Born in Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela, Martínez rose through the Caracas youth system before moving to Europe with Young Boys in Switzerland and Torino in Italy. His career-defining chapter came in MLS with Atlanta United, where he broke multiple league scoring records. He later represented Inter Miami, CF Montréal, and the San Jose Earthquakes before signing with Liga MX club Club Tijuana.
Early Life and Background
Josef Alexander Martínez Mencia was born on 19 May 1993 in Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela. He grew up in a country with a deep football culture, and from an early age he developed a passion for the sport. Venezuela’s coastal football scene, including local youth tournaments, gave him an early stage to develop his skills as an attacker.
He came through the youth ranks of Caracas FC, one of Venezuela’s most established clubs, where he developed the technical foundation that would carry him to Europe. His performances at youth level earned him a path into the senior squad, marking the start of a professional journey that would eventually take him across three continents.
Path to Soccer
Martínez made his senior debut for Caracas on 21 August 2010 against Estudiantes de Mérida, entering as a substitute in the 70th minute of a 1–0 win. He scored his first senior goal on 21 November 2010 in a 2–2 draw against Deportivo Petare. Those early appearances established him as a young forward with a natural eye for goal.
On 3 January 2012, Caracas announced his sale to Swiss Super League club Young Boys on a four-year contract, alongside Alexander Gonzalez. After a promising run in Switzerland and a productive loan spell at Thun, where he scored eight goals in 18 games and briefly led the Swiss Super League scoring charts, he earned a move to Italian Serie A side Torino in 2014. His progress through Caracas, Young Boys, Thun, and Torino prepared him for his eventual breakthrough in Major League Soccer.
Josef Martínez Career
Early Career (2010–2014)
Martínez’s early career was a steady climb from Venezuelan football to two of Europe’s top leagues. At Young Boys, he debuted on 5 February 2012 against Servette and scored his first goal for the club with a volley against Grasshoppers on 21 October 2012. His form was strong enough to earn a senior Venezuela call-up while still in Switzerland.
During his loan at Thun in 2013–2014, he finished as the Swiss Super League’s leading scorer at one point. That run convinced Torino to sign him on 7 June 2014 for a reported fee of €3 million, setting the stage for his Serie A development.
Serie A Breakthrough with Torino (2014–2017)
At Torino, Martínez adjusted to one of Europe’s most demanding leagues. He made his debut in the 2014–15 Europa League against Brommapojkarna, scoring his first goal for the club in the return leg in Turin. His Serie A debut came on 14 September 2014 in a 2–0 loss to Sampdoria, and he scored his first league goal on 7 December 2014 in a 2–2 draw with Palermo.
He continued to develop under manager Siniša Mihajlović, often operating as a winger. On 30 April 2016, he recorded his first Serie A brace in a 5–1 win over Udinese. Across his Torino years, he gained valuable experience in European football that readied him for the next step in his career.
MLS Breakthrough with Atlanta United (2017–2022)
On 2 February 2017, Martínez joined Major League Soccer expansion side Atlanta United on loan with a purchase option. He debuted on 5 March 2017 in a 2–1 home loss to the New York Red Bulls, then scored his first career hat-trick the following week in a 6–1 win at Minnesota United — the first hat-trick in Atlanta United history. Atlanta activated the buyout clause on 21 March 2017 after just three league matches, and he was named MLS Player of the Month for March with five goals.
Despite injury interruptions in 2017, he finished with 20 goals across all competitions, placed fourth in the league in scoring, and was named to the MLS Best XI. In 2018, he delivered one of the most remarkable individual seasons in American soccer history. He tied the MLS hat-trick record on 2 June 2018 against Philadelphia Union and broke it on 21 July 2018 against DC United, doing so in only 44 league games. He was named MLS Player of the Month for both July and August, and he broke the single-season goal record of 27 on 24 August 2018 with a chip over Orlando City’s Joe Bendik. Atlanta United won the 2018 MLS Cup.
In 2019, he set a new MLS record by scoring in 12 consecutive matches and extended the streak to 15 straight games, the third-longest streak in world football at the time behind Lionel Messi and Tor Henning Hamre. A torn ACL on 29 February 2020 against Nashville forced him to miss the entire 2020 season. After multiple surgeries, he returned in 2021, but a difficult relationship with head coach Gabriel Heinze and later manager Gonzalo Pineda led to his departure from Atlanta in 2022, capping a six-season run that included the 2022 MLS Goal of the Year award.
Inter Miami Era (2023)
On 18 January 2023, Martínez was traded to Inter Miami, where he linked up again with former Atlanta head coach Gerardo Martino. He debuted on 25 February 2023 in a 2–0 win over CF Montréal. He scored three goals in the 2023 Leagues Cup, which Inter Miami won, and he also netted in the 2023 U.S. Open Cup final, a 1–2 loss to the Houston Dynamo.
On 21 October 2023, head coach Gerardo Martino confirmed Martínez would leave the club after one season, and the departure was confirmed four days later.
CF Montréal Era (2024)
On 6 February 2024, CF Montréal announced the signing of Martínez as a free agent for the 2024 season with an option for an additional year. He produced 13 goals and 3 assists during the campaign. The club declined his option, and he once again became a free agent heading into the following season.
San Jose Earthquakes Era (2025)
On 13 January 2025, Martínez joined the San Jose Earthquakes as a free agent, signing a one-year deal. He arrived as one of the most experienced and decorated strikers in league history, expected to anchor the attack and bring a veteran scoring touch to the Bay Area side.
Driving Style and Strengths
Although he started as a winger, Atlanta United head coach Gerardo Martino converted him into a center forward, a switch that unlocked his best attributes. Martínez is an aggressive and powerful striker with pace, dribbling ability, an eye for goal, and accurate finishing with both feet and his head. He excels at making attacking runs off the ball and getting into dangerous positions inside the penalty area, traits that have made him a constant threat and a record-setting finisher.
Notable Events and Milestones
His defining milestones came during the 2018 MLS season, when he became the most decorated single-season player in league history. He won the League MVP, All-Star Game MVP, Golden Boot, and MLS Cup Final MVP, while setting league records for hat-tricks, single-season goals, and cumulative regular-and-postseason goals. He also became the fastest player in MLS history to reach 100 league goals, doing so in 125 games.
Josef Martínez Career Wins
Across his career, Martínez has built a record of consistent scoring at every stop, from Caracas to Young Boys, Thun, Torino, Atlanta United, Inter Miami, and CF Montréal. He has produced multiple hat-tricks in domestic play and on the international stage, including a hat-trick for Venezuela against Bolivia in a 5–0 World Cup qualifying win on 10 November 2016.
Atlanta United Highlights
Martínez scored 20 goals across all competitions in his first Atlanta season despite injuries, and was named to the MLS Best XI for 2017. In 2018, he led Atlanta United to the MLS Cup title and posted the record-breaking 31-goal regular season. He also set the MLS record for most hat-tricks in league history with six in his first 44 games and became the fastest player in league history to reach 100 MLS goals, reaching the mark in 125 matches.
Other Wins & Performances
With Inter Miami, Martínez won the 2023 Leagues Cup, scoring three goals across the tournament. He also reached the 2023 U.S. Open Cup final, where he scored in a 1–2 loss to the Houston Dynamo. At CF Montréal in 2024, he tallied 13 goals and 3 assists, and earlier in his career, his loan at Thun briefly made him the top scorer in the Swiss Super League.
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Josef Martínez Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Details about Martínez’s family background are not widely documented in public sources. He was raised in Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela, where he developed his early love for football before joining the Caracas youth system.
Personal Life
Martínez has kept most of his personal life private. Public records do not provide confirmed details about a spouse or children. Off the field, he has built a strong social media presence, including a verified Instagram account where he shares updates from his career.
2025 Season Performance
Martínez entered 2025 with the San Jose Earthquakes after signing a one-year free-agent deal in January. The move paired one of the most prolific strikers in MLS history with a club looking to add proven goal-scoring depth to its attack. Expectations centered on his ability to translate his Atlanta and Inter Miami form into a new environment.
Throughout the 2025 season, Martínez was expected to serve as a focal point up top for San Jose, offering experience and finishing inside the penalty area. His track record of hat-tricks, quick goal-scoring bursts, and ability to score in streaks gave the Earthquakes a reliable veteran presence as they pursued a return to the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Following the 2025 campaign, Martínez made another major move, signing with Liga MX club Club Tijuana in January 2026, signaling a new chapter in his career as he returned to top-flight international football in North America.