Atlanta’s Martinez wins MVP award in MLS

ATLANTA — Josef Martinez choked up a bit when he saw his grandparents in the front row.

On most days, he’s not susceptible to tears.

This time, he couldn’t help himself.

A teary eyed Martinez claimed the MVP award from Major League Soccer on Wednesday after shattering the record for goals in a season and leading Atlanta United to the championship game.

While he normally speaks through a translator, the 25-year-old Venezuelan gave the first part of his acceptance speech in English.

“This is a special day for me, for my family, for my teammates, for the city,” Martinez said, without the benefit of notes. “I want to say thank you to the fans for the amazing support this year.”

In just two years, Atlanta United has established itself as a flagship franchise in MLS, setting numerous attendance records and achieving immediate success on the field with a high-scoring, attacking style spearheaded by its 25-yearold Venezuelan striker.

Another record crowd of more than 70,000 is expected for Saturday night’s MLS Cup final against the Portland Timbers.

Martinez already claimed the Golden Boot for scoring 31 goals in 34 games this season, breaking the MLS mark of 27 shared by Roy Lassiter, Chris Wondolowski and Bradley Wright-Phillips.

“He wears his heart on his sleeve,” United president Darren Eales said. “You can see it in his hunger for goals. That drive is part of his skill set.”

The other finalists for the Landon Donovan trophy were Zlatan Ibrahimovic of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Wayne Rooney of D.C. United and Carlos Vela of Los Angeles FC, all of whom joined MLS this season.