ATLANTA (AP) — Josef Martinez, the 2018 MVP and centerpiece of Atlanta United’s increase to prominence in Main League Soccer, was unveiled by the staff on Wednesday and promptly signed a offer with Inter Miami.
The corresponding moves were being not surprising, supplied Martinez’s struggles previous season beneath United mentor Gonzalo Pineda.
Nevertheless, it was jarring news for Atlanta’s passionate lover base, which had adopted the 29-calendar year-outdated Venezuelan as one of its personal. He even had a significant mural painted on a wall around Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Just after three stellar seasons that included leading United to the MLS Cup championship in just its 2nd year in the league, Martinez by no means seemed to regain that type next a knee personal injury in the 2020 opener.
Now, he’s headed to South Florida.
“Josef has performed a pivotal purpose in Atlanta United’s background, scoring memorable ambitions and hoisting many trophies for times that will eternally are living with our supporters,” Atlanta specialized director Carlos Bocanegra mentioned. “He will usually be aspect of Atlanta United and we desire him the greatest of luck in his foreseeable future endeavors.”
Martinez experienced extended expressed a drive to shell out the rest of his career in Atlanta, even having fantastic satisfaction in discovering English so he would suit superior in the local community.
But the marriage with the club soured, so he’s eager to get a new begin in Miami.
“I’m psyched for the option to represent Inter Miami and give the very best of myself,” he said in a assertion launched prior to an introductory information convention. “This is a club with high aspirations and that aims to be among the very best in the league. I hope to help the staff accomplish its targets and go away my mark at the club.”
Martinez undoubtedly still left his mark in Atlanta, getting to be the deal with of the enlargement franchise after signing up for from Torino in Italy’s Serie A before the inaugural year in 2017.
He scored 19 ambitions in 20 matches that year, assisting United access the playoffs.
The 2018 year was even improved. He scored a then-record 31 goals to get the MLS Golden Boot, was selected as the league’s MVP and celebrated once again at the conclude of the marketing campaign as United captured the MLS Cup prior to additional than 70,000 followers in Atlanta.
Martínez followed with an additional huge period in 2019, scoring 27 objectives in MLS perform and 33 objectives across all opposition, but United misplaced at household in the conference finals.
In the 2020 MLS opener, Martinez went down with a torn ACL that retained him out the rest of the yr. Atlanta, meanwhile, went by means of turmoil in the coaching ranks, likely via four professionals in a lot less than two a long time prior to Pineda was hired in the course of the 2021 period.
He never ever appeared to mesh with the team’s most important star, who was upset at being brought off the bench this past year. Martinez was even suspended for a week for what was described as perform detrimental to the team.
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