Inter Miami CF forward Josef Martínez has been called up to represent the Venezuelan national team during their upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.
In the first qualifying match, Martínez and La Vinotinto will hit the road and travel to Cuiabá, Brazil to face off against Brazil on Thursday, October 12 at 8:30 p.m. ET at the Arena Pantanal. The second qualifying match will then see Venezuela host Chile on Tuesday, October 17 at 5 p.m. ET at the Estadio Monumental de Maturín in Maturín, Venezuela.
The Valencia, Venezuela native started his international career in the Venezuelan youth national teams, working up the ranks and making his debut for the senior international team in August 2011. Martínez has represented his country a total of 65 times at the senior level while bagging 14 goals and dishing three assists. Most recently, he featured for Venezuela this past month at the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, where the striker came on as a second half substitute in its first qualifying match against Colombia before starting in La Vinotinto’s match against Paraguay, helping his country earn a 1-0 win.
El Rey joined Inter Miami ahead of the 2023 season and has so far featured for the Club 37 times, 27 of them starts, across all competitions, while netting 11 goals and registering three assists. Notably, he played an influential role in the team’s 2023 Leagues Cup title-winning run, where he scored three goals and assisted two to help the team clinch the Club’s first-ever official piece of silverware.
Martínez will join the Venezuelan national team after Inter Miami’s home match against FC Cincinnati on Saturday, October 7 at 7:30 p.m. ET at DRV PNK Stadium.
