Atlanta United’s Martinez gets a statue ... sort of

Atlanta United surprised its season-ticket holders with a gift box that included a small statue of Josef Martinez.

The concept was borne of the team’s desire to see a statue of Martinez, MLS MVP in 2018 when it won the MLS Cup, outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The pose of the statue was inspired by Martinez taking a knee after he scores, which he’s done 82 times in regular season and playoff games for the club.

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Martinez loved the idea of the gift.

“Atlanta has become my home, and I love playing for the city and our fans,” he said in a statement provided by the team. “I always thank them for their support because of the way they treat my family and me, and I want them to know the affection is mutual. The statue is really cool, and I hope we can celebrate more goals together soon.”

The statue was designed by employees of the club and made by Bensussen Deutsch & Associates. Approximately 15,000 of the statues were made. There won’t be any for sale at the team’s shops.

A team spokeswoman said the club has been looking for an opportunity to do something with a statue of Martinez. Featuring it as a gift to season-ticket buyers was the decision.

It took six months of work to execute the idea.