Sports
Vital StatsJosef Alexander Martinez MenciaBorn 5/19/93Native of VenezuelaObtained US Green Card in July 2018Club HistoryFirst club was Caracas FC onFirst professional appearance was 8/21/10 entering as a sub in the 70th minScored his first goal against Deportivo Petare on 11/21/10Young Boys - Swiss club based in Bern Switzerland.Sold to Young Boys on 1/3/12 for 4 yearsmade his debut on 2/5/12 against ServetteSolid performance lead to a call up to the Venezuela National TeamFirst start with Young Bots was 10/21/12Scored his first goal with the Swiss club in the 50th minute vs Grasshopper Club ZurichShort Loan to FC ThunAfter 1 season with Young Boys, they sent him on loan to ThunScored 8 goals in 18 games with ThunThis put him in running for top scorer in the Swiss Super LeagueHe was quickly recalled to the Young BoysTorino - Italian Serie A Club from Turin, Piedmont - nicknamed I Granata, Italian for MaroonTransfer fee was 3 million euroFirst appearance for the club was 7/31/14 in the third round of the Europa League (tournament)First goal for the club was on the second leg of the third round, second appearance with the clubScored a brace in Europa League vs CopenhagenLeague debut was 9/14/14 vs sampdoriaFirst goal in Serie A was 12/7/14 vs PalermoFirst brace in Serie A was 4/30/16The King comes to Atlanta2/2/17 loaned with option to buy to ATLUTDLeague debut was the first game in the regular season v Red Bulls lost 2-1Yamil Asad scored the first goal for the clubFirst Career hat trick / first hat trick in club history was the next weeksmashed minnesota united 6-1won player of the week (week 2)Week 1 - debut, week 2 - Hat Trick, Week 3 - ATL UTD exercises the option to buythat didn’t take long..undisclosed transfer fee at the time is now showing as $4.95mil per transfermarkt.usWeek 4 - MLS player of the month5 goals in first 3 games in the leagueInjuries in the first season3/23/17 playing with the Venezuelan nation team v peru injured his left quadricep (it was his right knee if you are thinking what I am thinking)First match back from this injury was U.S. Open Cup v Charleston Battery on June 14thmissed the match on 7/27 due to this foot contusionJumped back in ready to show his royalty in September with back to back hat tricks vs New england rev and TrashlandoPlayer of the month in September20 goals in 20 appearances in 2017Season 2 2018broke league record for Hat Tricks on 7/21/18 v DC United after only 44 gamesPlayer of the month for July scoring 9 goals with 1 assistJosef scored the only goal in the 2018 MLS All-Star game v Juventus (1-1 draw)MVP of that game (duh)8/24/18 broke the single season goal record of 27 - ended at 31goal scored v orlandoorlando was talking trash (pun intended) about preventing him from breaking the recordJosef had a cheeky chip past Joe Bendik and turned to speak to him as the ball hit the back of the netMLS Player of the month - augustwon the golden boot and an MLS Cup… but more awards and accolades laterSeason 3 - 2019broke single season goal scoring streak record running the record up to 15 games before he was stoppedscored the record breaker vs our wonderful friends from the wrong side of the tracks, don’t call me trashlandotied for second world wide in goal scoring with Tor Henning Hamre (21 goals in 15 games) behind Messi 33 goals in 21 gamesStreak ended with an injury…. a right knee injury from an awkward collision with Pity v San Jose Earthquakeshe was stretched offI think we all know what happened at the beginning of 2020When his right knee was injured in 2019, FDB said no ligament dmg and “nothing broken” per doug robersonBeer of the week: Steady HandLager - featuring 100% regionally sourced craft malts, our lager is crisp and dry in flavor with light flora hoppiness and a clean finish - cans are red white and blue and modeled after evil kinveal.StylePrimary StrikerVenezuelan Viperaccurate with both feet and his headvicious attack and drive to score a goalcan find his way into the right positionStatsTotal Appearances across all clubs and competitions 2011-2020 - 291Total goals across all clubs and competitions - 133scored in 45.7% of games playedATL UTD Appearances in league play- 84ATLUTD goals - 77scored in 91.6% of gamesATL UTD apps all comps - 103goals all comps - 9087.3% of games playedATL UTD Post season apps - 9post season goals 555.5% of gamesScored game winning PK in the Campeones Cupapps in CCL - 6goals in CCL - 5Notable Factoids and accoladesMLS Cup 2018US Open Cup 2019Campeones Cup 2019MLS Best XI 3 years in a row 2017-2019MLS MVP - 2018Golden Boot - 2018MLS All Star - 2018, 2019MLS All Star MVP - 2018MLS Player of the month (6), (2) in 2017, (2) 2018, (2) 2019MLS Cup MVP - 2018MLS Goal of the Year - 2019Memorable quotes“What we do in life echoes in eternity.” is tattooed on his neck“God is my guide and family is my strength” is tattooed on his forearms“Atlanta es familia”“We are the only team in this city that wins shit” - thank you felipe cardenas keep doing what you are doing!A core memory about his grandparents that would shape him fundamentally -“That’s the thing I remember most about growing up with him and my grandmother: They really cared about whatever they did. My parents had me and my sister at a young age, so my childhood was just different. My grandparents saw the darkness of the world — the crime and the struggle in Colombia — before they moved to Venezuela. So it made me see the world as a place where you had to work hard for everything you got. Everything. You had to care. Otherwise you’d be in trouble.”What does Atlanta mean to you? - “Atlanta is family. Atlanta means family.”