Former MVP Martinez wants to make history in Montreal: 'I still have power'

Joseph Martínez hasn't been scoring at a goal-scoring rate in Major League Soccer for a long time.

But the 30-year-old striker believes he still has a lot to give, especially to a developing club like CF Montreal.

“We know they have a young team and I want to come here to help the culture and fulfill my dreams,” Martinez said Wednesday from Montreal's training camp in Kissimmee, Florida.

“I still have the energy and I want to continue the history here.”

Montreal signed Martinez, one of the top scorers in MLS history, to a one-year contract with an option for another year on Tuesday.

While the Venezuelan's production has dipped in recent years due to injuries, it's a significant move for a Montreal side that had the league's lowest payroll last year and rarely attracts players as a regular seller in the transfer market.

In January, club president Gabriel Gervais expressed high hopes of reaching and competing in the MLS playoffs, winning the Canadian championship and returning to the CONCACAF Champions League in the first season under new head coach Laurent Courtois.

Since then, Montreal has bolstered their attack by adding Uruguayan forward Matias Coccaro, Bulgarian-Canadian attacking midfielder Dominik Yankov and now Martinez.

Martinez said the team's direction and confidence in his game prompted him to make the move.

“They have a dream, they have a culture, and I want to be a part of it,” Martinez said of his new club. “I'm trying to win — I want to win a trophy and I want to win games to win the playoffs. That's why I decided (to come) here.”

Martinez should also help Montreal's offense after scoring 36 goals in MLS action last season and missing the playoffs by two points.

Martinez's 105 MLS goals with Atlanta United and Inter Miami are ninth in league history. While chasing titles with Montreal, he will try to match Chris Wondolowski's record of 171 goals – which he says is the reason he wants to stay in MLS.

“I think I want to get to Wondo – that's my job, that's my goal, that's my dream – and I want to help the team win trophies,” Martinez said.

In 2018, Martinez won the regular season MVP and MLS Cup MVP awards as Atlanta United won the title.

He also became the fastest player in league history to reach the century mark with 100 goals in the first 125 games, but his performance hasn't been the same since he tore the ACL in his right knee in 2020.

Martinez scored 12 goals in 24 league games in 2021, followed by nine goals in 26 games in 2022, his final game in Atlanta.

While he scored seven times in 27 MLS appearances with Miami, Martinez, who now insists he has no knee problems, would lead Montreal in scoring.

He hopes to raise the bar with Coccaro this season.

“He's a tough guy, and that's important for the league,” Martinez said of his 26-year-old teammate. “I hope we have a good match and I hope I can try to help because I have little experience in the league.”

Montreal hosts Atlanta in a preseason game Wednesday night at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg.

A familiar place

Before moving to MLS, Martinez played in Venezuela, Switzerland and Italy. He says Montreal reminds him of one of his previous stops.

“When I first came to Montreal, I thought it was like Switzerland,” said Martinez, who played for Swiss Super League clubs Young Boys and Toon between 2011 and 2014. I like it,” he said. “The cold isn't so good, but I'm fine with it.”

In a video posted on social media on Tuesday, Martinez endeared himself to local fans by introducing himself in French at the city's Mont Royal.

“My languages ​​are very good,” he said. “But I only know a word or two of French, which is the language I want to learn because I speak five languages ​​and I miss it.”

Learning from Messi

Martinez witnessed Lionel Messi's heroics at Inter Miami last season, scoring three goals and assisting two with the Argentine superstar en route to the League Cup title.

Martinez said he was impressed by the 36-year-old Messi's drive to win despite his long list of accolades, including a FIFA World Cup and four UEFA Champions League titles.

“Man, every time we go into the locker room, we're just pumped because this is one guy who's won everything and still wants to win,” Martinez said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on February 7, 2024.