He’s just at the start of his second season in Major League Soccer, yet Atlanta United striker Josef Martinez is already on the brink of making history.
In a 4-1 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday, the 24-year-old Venezuelan bagged his fourth career MLS hat trick and he’s now one away from a league record shared by Stern John of Columbus Crew SC, who did it in 55 games, and former standout Diego Serna, who played for five MLS teams, finishing with the Colorado Rapids, needed 124 games for his five hat tricks.
Remarkably, Martinez has four hat tricks in just 23 games, significantly fewer games played than the eight players he’s tied with. Three other players in MLS could also tie or break the record in the coming matches, including Sebastian Giovinco, Chris Wondolowski and Bradley Wright-Phillips.
Martinez, who was named the Alcatel MLS Player of the Week as voted by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for Week 3, will chase history when Atlanta United returns from the international break to face Minnesota United FC on March 31 (8 pm ET | MLS LIVE).
Hat Tricks
| Player | GP | Hat Tricks |
|---|---|---|
| Stern John | 55 | 5 |
| Diego Serna | 124 | 5 |
| Josef Martinez | 23 | 4 |
| Edson Buddle | 304 | 4 |
| Mamadou Diallo | 74 | 4 |
| Landon Donovan | 340 | 4 |
| Sebastian Giovinco | 88 | 4 |
| Cobi Jones | 306 | 4 |
| Robbie Keane | 125 | 4 |
| Chris Wondolowski | 295 | 4 |
| Bradley Wright-Phillips | 141 | 4 |
