By Mauricio Segura June 1, 2025
Photo: GBT Graphics
San Jose Earthquakes fans, brace yourselves. Three of the team’s standout talents are preparing to don their national colors as the international window swings open. With qualifiers, camps, and friendlies on the horizon, players Josef Martínez, Ousseni Bouda, and Edwyn Mendoza are answering their country’s call, and each brings a unique tale of ambition, heritage, and potential.
At the forefront is 31-year-old Venezuelan striker Josef Martínez, whose reputation in MLS is nothing short of legendary. A former league MVP and record-breaking goal-scorer, Martínez has added a fresh chapter to his storied career wearing the Black and Blue. He’s cheered 14 goals in 67 appearances for the Venezuelan national team, La Vinotinto, and is set to lead the attack in the crucial World Cup qualifying clashes against Bolivia on June 6 in Maturín and Uruguay on June 10 in Montevideo.
Martínez is a purple patch personified. In his 14 MLS outings this season, he's bagged seven goals and one assist, blazing to 123 career goals in league play, a milestone that places him sixth among active MLS scorers and fastest to 100, in only 142 games. Now, he steps onto the international stage not merely as a prolific striker but as a captain of ambition, ready to steer Venezuela toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Then there’s Burkina Faso’s rising forward, Ousseni Bouda. Just 25, Bouda’s journey from the youth ranks of Stanford and the MLS SuperDraft to Les Étalons national team call-up showcases both his raw talent and rapid ascent. He’s earned eight caps and scored twice since his senior debut in June 2022, and this June, he’s gearing up to face Tunisia on June 2 and Zimbabwe on June 6 in key qualifiers.
Bouda’s influence at PayPal Park is steadily growing. A stalwart presence across all 17 MLS matches this season, he’s contributed three goals and an assist so far. Counting in U.S. Open Cup action and MLS NEXT Pro, his tally climbs to seven goals in 59 appearances, proof that big-game talent can blossom with time and opportunity.
Rounding out the trio is 19-year-old midfield dynamo Edwyn Mendoza, a true Bay Area homegrown success. Signed in May 2023 from the Quakes Academy, Mendoza has carved out a promising presence in MLS NEXT Pro and earned a U.S. Under-19 national team call-up for a June camp in Marbella, Spain. The schedule includes matches against Spain on June 7 and Ukraine on June 10 at Estadio Guillermo Amor in Benidorm, with hopes high for early 2026 Olympic qualifying momentum.
Mendoza’s credentials are compelling. A holding midfielder by trade, he’s notched one goal and two assists in 25 appearances during the 2024 season, top minutes and a Pacific Division title to his name. In 2023, he earned 10 caps with the U.S. U-17s en route to the Concacaf U-17 Championship final. Now, the midfielder is ready to test himself against some of Europe’s best youth squads.
This trio of call-ups illuminates a vibrant pipeline at San Jose. Martínez brings seasoned leadership. Bouda offers an electrifying blend of flair and hunger. Mendoza delivers promise, youth, and a deep-rooted connection to the Bay Area. Their diverse trajectories not only reflect personal ambition but hint at their potential to elevate club and country simultaneously.
From a Quakes perspective, the impact is multifaceted. International duty brings both prestige and risk. While San Jose will temporarily lose key contributors, the experience they gain, training under national team coaches, facing elite opponents, integrating into different team cultures, can spur growth and inject new energy into the squad upon their return.
For fans, the excitement is twofold. There’s pride in seeing local heroes stride onto the world stage, and intrigue in how these international experiences will shape the Earthquakes’ dynamics this summer. Will Martínez return sharper and hungrier? Can Bouda harness this exposure to lead San Jose’s offensive mechanics? Will Mendoza’s showings in Europe seed his first-team breakthrough in MLS?
What’s certain is that the international calendar brings newfound momentum. It offers breaks, but also narrative arcs filled with opportunity, growth, and reinvigoration. And for the Golden Bay Times, these call-ups aren’t just headlines. They’re chapters in a growing legacy, where local artistry meets global ambition.
So whether you’re tracking match stats in Maturín, celebrating African Cup qualifiers, or tuning into youth friendlies under the Spanish sun, cheer loud for Martínez, Bouda, and Mendoza. Their journeys mark not just three call-ups, but a reminder: the world is watching and the Bay is ready.
