Los 40 USA
Sign in to commentAPP
spainSPAINchileCHILEcolombiaCOLOMBIAusaUSAmexicoMEXICOlatin usaLATIN USAamericaAMERICA
Soccer

Atlanta United

Josef Martínez closing in on Leo Messi world record

The Atlanta United striker has broken the MLS record for scoring in consecutive matches. The world record however, belongs to FC Barcelona star, Lionel Messi.

Ana Paulina Maupomé
Ana Paulina Maupoméanapaumaup
Estados Unidos
Josef Martínez closing in on Leo Messi world record
Kim KlementUSA Today

The has been no shortage of new records being set in this season's MLS - with Chris Wondolowski surpassing Landon Donovan's all-time goals record, or Carlos Vela becoming the top Mexican scorer in league history to Zlatan setting a new shots-on-goal record.

Atlanta United striker, Josef Martinez is also making history in the US league, he set the most goals in a single season during last year's campaign, and now he is on course to take a world record set by no other than Barcelona's Lionel Messi.

The Venezuelan striker has scored in 12 consecutive MLS games, surpassing his previous record, and now is closely approaching the world record. Martinez currently shares third place in the table with Robert Lewandowski ahead of household names such as Jamie Vardy and Gabriel Bautista.

Consecutive games scoring record

Player Club Season Games Goals Lionel Messi FC Barcelona 2013-14 21 33 Tor Henning Hamre Flora Tallinn 2003 15 21 Josef Martinez Atlanta United 2019 12 17 Robert Lewandowski Borussia Dortmund 2012-13 12 14 Jamie Vardy Leicester City 2015-16 11 13 Gabriel Batistuta Fiorentina 1994-95 11 13 Jose Cardozo CD Toluca 2002-03 11 20 Ara Hakobian Banants Yerevan 2003 11 23

Martinez is behind Norwegian striker Tor Henning Hamre who scored in 15 consecutive games in 2003 and FC Barcelona ace Lionel Messi who scored in 21 straight matches in the 2013-14 season. Josef still has a way to go, but if he can keep up his fine form in front of goal, he could well get close to or even beat Messi's world record.