Josef Martinez is all-time leader in some impressive goal-scoring metrics

Josef Martinez - Atlanta United - taking a shot

You might already know Atlanta United striker Josef Martinez became the quickest player in MLS history to record his fifth hat trick, doing so in his 34th MLS game in the Five Stripes' 3-1 win Saturday night over the Philadelphia Union.


Turns out, that's not the only way Martinez has a chance to make league history, according to MLS' Week 15 News and Notes.


Martinez's next hat trick would be his sixth in MLS, and would make him the sole career leader in the stat. He currently sits tied on five with Stern John and Diego Serna. And with two hat tricks this season, Martinez is half of the way to setting a new single-season hat trick record. (He had three last season, which also ties him with Serna, John and others.)


Hat Tricks, MLS Career (League Games)

Player
Years
Games
Hats
Josef Martínez
2017-2018
34
5
Stern John
1998-1999
55
5
Diego Serna
1998-2005
124
5

Then there's a matter of overall scoring rate. Martinez leads all MLS players to play at least 20 matches in career goals scored per appearance (0.91) and goals scored per 90 minutes played (1.03). You can take a Stern guess who is runner-up in those categories as well.


Goals Per Game (Career Leaders)

Player
Team
GP
Goals
Avg
Josef Martínez
ATL
34
31
0.91
Stern John
CLB
55
44
0.80
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/david-villa">David Villa</a>
NYC
105
71
0.68
Robbie Keane
LA
125
83
0.66
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/nemanja-nikolic">Nemanja Nikolic</a>
CHI
47
30
0.64
Didier Drogba
MTL
33
21
0.64
Mamadou Diallo
NYR*
74
47
0.64
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/bradley-wright-phillips">Bradley Wright-Phillips</a>
NYR
151
95
0.63
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/sebastian-giovinco">Sebastian Giovinco</a>
TOR
95
58
0.61
Taylor Twellman
NE
174
101
0.58

Goals Per 90 Minutes (Career Leaders)

Player
Team
Min
Goals
Avg
Josef Martinez
ATL
2707
31
1.03
Stern John
CLB
4463
44
0.89
Didier Drogba
MTL
2520
21
0.75
David Villa
NYC
8731
71
0.73
Mamadou Diallo
NYR*
5846
47
0.72
Bradley Wright-Phillips
NYR
11906
95
0.72
Robbie Keane
LA
10808
83
0.69
Nemanja Nikolic
CHI
3985
30
0.68
Sebastian Giovinco
TOR
7999
58
0.65
Musa Shannon
COL*
2830
20
0.64

Stern John eventually parlayed his two years of MLS success into a long career in England, so it's fair to wonder whether he could've produced at his same MLS rate had he remained in North America.


The same may be asked of Martinez going forward as well. Though opposing MLS defenses this season will do so at their peril.