Josef Martinez sat down with Brittany Arnold for a Q&A on Atlanta United’s Facebook page. You can see the full chat above. Some of the interesting things discussed are the differences between the fan atmospheres here and in Europe and with the Venezuelan national team. He talks about admiring Ronaldo (the real one) as a kid.
The most interesting part for me was when he was asked about the way he celebrates after a goal for Atlanta United. In case you’re too busy running around your house or enduring beer showers to notice, Josef just stands still in front of the adoring fans, like a conquering hero. He doesn’t run around the field and act a fool. Why doesn’t he do something a little more elaborate like most players?
He says something to the effect that it stems from his time in Italy. Towards the end of his tenure with Torino in Serie A, he wasn’t scoring goals and the fans let him know about it. So, he says it’s a personal thing for him. He doesn’t rule out celebrating a big goal in a big game, however.
This is a bit of a reminder that these athletes are humans just like us and see the criticisms thrown out on a daily basis.