Wayne Rooney earned his first start for DC United in Major League Soccer on Saturday in Atlanta. Then Josef Martinez showed him a thing or two about how to score in this country, setting the record for most MLS hat tricks in an absurdly small number of games.
Josef Martinez clearly knows the answer to life, the universe and everything. After another three-goal performance against DC United, the Venezuelan owns the record for most MLS hat tricks with six after just 42 appearances in the league.
The hat-trick king @JosefMartinez17 sets the all-time @MLS record pic.twitter.com/2kKViHsR2p
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) July 21, 2018
Here’s the record-breaking goal, Martinez dancing around the DC keeper like he’s Brazilian Ronaldo, or at least a young Landon Donovan.
.@JosefMartinez17 earns a spot in the record books!
His third goal of the night sets a new MLS record for career hat tricks. #ATLvDC https://t.co/oQtcBp5n9f— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 21, 2018
To put some perspective on the insane speed with which Martinez set this record, his sixth hat trick came 13 games faster than Stern John’s 55, which was also incredible. The only other player with five hat tricks in MLS history was Diego Serna, who took 124 matches to reach the mark.
Meanwhile, Donovan scored four hat tricks in 340 MLS appearances.
Martinez also equaled the record for most MLS hat tricks in a single season with three. The mark has been set five times prior, including, of course, Martinez last season.
Josef Martinez now has 41 goals in 42 regular-season appearances. Unreal.
Josef Martínez in 2018 season:
22 games
22 goals
3 assists
3 hat-tricks
58 shots
37 shots on target8 goals in last 5 games (scoring in each).
In his #MLS career:
42 games
39 starts
41 goals
6 hat-tricks
125 shots
69 shots on targetINCREDIBLE. #ATLUTD #Vinotinto pic.twitter.com/dYvOrDZgWP
— Jason Foster (@JogaBonito_USA) July 21, 2018
Here’s Martinez’s first goal of the hat trick, which left DC United goalkeeper David Ousted in a heap. Personally, I like to see goalkeepers not given the benefit of the doubt every single time someone makes contact with one.
BEAST. MODE. @JosefMartinez17 is a terror in the air. What a goal! https://t.co/PXnKdM5O4r
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) July 21, 2018
And this was the second of the day for the Atlanta United player.
What a move, @AndrewCarleton7
What a finish, @JosefMartinez17#ATLUTD takes the lead! https://t.co/liwG485otH— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) July 21, 2018
Martinez was given a curtain call in the 85th minute, subbed out to a standing ovation as Atlanta cruised to a 3-1 win.
Who should receive today's Golden Spike?
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) July 21, 2018
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