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Marta (footballer)
Brazilian footballer (born 1986) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Marta Vieira da Silva (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈmaʁtɐ viˈejɾɐ dɐ ˈsiwvɐ]; born 19 February 1986), known mononymously as Marta, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for National Women's Soccer League club Orlando Pride. Regarded by many as the greatest female footballer of all time,[2] she has been named FIFA World Player of the Year six times, five of them being consecutive (2006—2010), with the latest award coming in 2018.
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Marta holds the record for being Brazil's top goalscorer with 124 goals. With 17 goals, Marta also holds the record for most goals scored in any World Cup, women’s or men's.[3] Moreover, she was the first footballer of any gender to score at five different World Cups,[4][a] and also the first footballer, female or male, to score at five consecutive Olympic Games.[6] She was a member of the Brazilian national teams that won the silver medal at the 2004, 2008 and 2024 Summer Olympics. She was also awarded the Golden Ball (MVP) at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship and won both the Golden Ball award as the best player and the Golden Boot award as the top scorer in the 2007 Women's World Cup after leading Brazil to the final of the tournament.
At the club level, Marta won the UEFA Women's Cup at Swedish club Umeå IK in 2004 and won seven Swedish league championships during her time playing for various teams in the country. In 2014, she was a UEFA Women's Champions League runner-up with Tyresö FF. She won two Women's Professional Soccer championships (2010, 2011), and in 2024, she helped Orlando Pride win its first National Women's Soccer League championship.
In January 2013, Marta was named one of the ambassadors of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. She also appeared in the Sveriges Television television documentary series The Other Sport from 2013. She helped carry the Olympic flag into the Maracanã Stadium during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics.[7] In 2019, she was appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations as a Sustainable Development Goals advocate.
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Club career
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Career start
Marta was discovered by Brazilian female coach Helena Pacheco when she was 14 years old.[8] After playing for the Centro Sportivo Alagoano youth team,[9] Marta started her professional career at Vasco da Gama in 2000, but the club folded two years later.[8] She then transferred to Santa Cruz, a small club in the state of Minas Gerais, where she would play for two more seasons, before joining Umeå IK of Sweden.[10]
Umeå IK
Marta joined Umeå IK during the 2004 season,[11] and reached the final of the UEFA Women's Cup, winning 8–0 on aggregate against Frankfurt, with Marta scoring three goals over the two legs.[8] Domestically, Umeå finished second to Djurgården in both the Damallsvenskan and the Swedish Cup.[12] That season, Marta scored 22 goals and tied with teammate Laura Kalmari for most goals in the league.[13] However, they were knocked out in the UEFA Women's Cup quarter-finals by Djurgården, with Marta not being able to play due to injury.[14] Marta scored 21 league goals in the 2005 season to be the top scorer in the Damallsvenskan and helped Umeå IK to an undefeated season.[13] During the Swedish Cup finals, Marta punched Helen Fagerström and later apologized.[15][16] Minutes later, Malin Nykvist elbowed her in the face,[17] resulting in a fractured eye socket.[18]
In 2006, Umeå again won the league without losing, with Marta scoring 21 goals. Umeå cruised to an 11–1 aggregate win over Norwegian side Kolbotn FK in the UEFA Women's Cup semi-finals, with Marta scoring twice in both matches.[13] They went on to lose the 2007 UEFA Women's Cup final to Arsenal.[19] For the third time in a row, she was on the losing side in the Swedish cup final when her side was defeated 3–2 by Linköpings FC.[20] The 2007 season was relatively successful for Umeå, with the club winning both the league, in which they finished nine points ahead of Djurgården,[21] and the Swedish Cup, beating AIK 4–3 in a match in which Marta scored a hat-trick, the last (winning) goal coming three minutes from time. Marta scored 25 goals in the league, finishing one goal behind the top scorer Lotta Schelin.[22]
The 2008 season saw Umeå win another league title, with Marta tying with Manon Melis for the top scorer in the league.[23] On the day of the FIFA World Player of the Year Awards in January 2009, Marta announced that she would play for the American side Los Angeles Sol for the next three years.[24][25] At the request of Marta, the Los Angeles side also purchased Johanna Frisk from Umeå IK,[26] which led to a report by Swedish TV4 sports presenter Patrick Ekwall that Marta and Frisk were a lesbian couple.[27] Both players denied this to be true.[28]
Los Angeles Sol
Marta joined the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) team Los Angeles Sol for the league's inaugural season on a three-year contract.[29][30] Of her signing, she said, "For me, the most important thing is to be in a place where the best players in the world are playing, and this is what they are trying to do here. The American League is being considered one of the best in the world, so I had to come now."[31] She was the league's top scorer for the 2009 season with ten goals and three assists.[32] She won the Player of the Week Award twice,[33][34] and she won the WPS MVP.[32] She played in the 2009 WPS All-Star Game against her former club, Umeå IK, and helped the WPS team win.[35] The Sol were regular season champions and reached the WPS Championship Final, where it lost 1–0 to Sky Blue FC.[36]
Santos
During the off-season with Los Angeles Sol, she signed a three-month loan contract with Santos to play in the Copa Libertadores and in the Copa do Brasil,[37][38] helping her club win both competitions, and scoring a goal in the Libertadores final and two in the Copa do Brasil final.[39][40]
FC Gold Pride
In January 2010, the Sol ceased operations,[41] and the rights to Marta and her teammates were made available in the 2010 WPS Dispersal Draft. The rights to Marta were acquired by the FC Gold Pride as their first pick.[42] She appeared in all of the Pride's 24 games and scored 19 goals, earning her the WPS MVP and WPS Golden Boot for the second year in a row.[43] Marta appeared in the WPS All-Star 2010, where she captained the international team and led them to victory.[44] She led the Gold Pride to the regular-season championship and had two assists and a goal in the WPS Championship against the Philadelphia Independence, earning MVP honors.[45] She became a free agent after the Gold Pride folded in November 2010.[46]
Return to Santos
In December 2010, Marta joined Santos again for a three-month loan.[47] During this time, Santos began negotiations to join Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) in the United States. However, WPS rules would have only allowed five Brazilian players – Marta and four others, so Santos did not join the league.[48] She played in the Women's International Club Football Tournament held in Araraquara, helping Santos win the competition.[49]
Western New York Flash
On 25 January 2011, Marta joined her third WPS team in three years, the expansion team Western New York Flash, who took over the third year of her contract with the Gold Pride.[45][50] She scored ten goals in 14 games during the season to earn her third consecutive WPS Golden Boot,[51] and she was named to the 2011 WPS Best XI.[52] She helped the Western New York Flash win the 2011 WPS Championship title 1–1 (5–4) in a penalty kick shootout.[53]
Tyresö FF
As WPS cancelled the 2012 season, Marta decided to return to Damallsvenskan in Sweden. On 22 February 2012 she signed a two-year contract with Tyresö FF.[54] Her salary of about $400,000[55][56] per season was paid by external sponsors and not the club, its owners stated.[57] Marta helped Tyresö win the Damallsvenskan title for the first time in the 2012 season.[58] However, they lost the 2012 Swedish Cup final to Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC.[59]
Marta scored twice in Tyresö's 4–3 defeat by Wolfsburg in the 2014 UEFA Women's Champions League Final.[60] They qualified for the 2014–15 UEFA Women's Champions League after finishing second in the 2013 Damallsvenskan, but they withdrew due to financial issues.[61] Tyresö also withdrew from the 2014 Damallsvenskan season, erasing all their results and making all their players free agents.[62]
As news of Tyresö's financial difficulties spread, Marta had been linked with a transfer to Avaldsnes IL, but the Norwegian Toppserien club's chairman warned that she would have to take a substantial pay cut.[63] Paris Saint-Germain Féminines were also reported to have approached Marta and Tyresö teammate Caroline Seger.[64]
Rosengård
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In July 2014, she signed a six-month contract with defending champion FC Rosengård in Sweden.[65] In 2014, she helped Rosengård win the Damallsvenskan league title. In December 2014, she signed a three-year contract to stay with the club.[66] She scored in both matches against Wolfsburg in the 2014–15 UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-finals, but they lost on the away goals tiebreaker.[67] She helped the club defend their Damallsvenskan league title in 2015, and they also won the Svenska Supercupen.[68]
During the 2015–16 UEFA Women's Champions League, Marta scored a hat trick in the round of 16 to help Rosengård advance.[69] They then lost to Frankfurt in the quarter-finals on penalties.[70] With a goal and two assists, she led Rosengård to the 2016 Swedish Cup title.[71] She had an assist to Emma Berglund in the Svenska Supercupen in a 2–1 victory over Linköping FC.[72] Her final game with the club was the 2016–17 UEFA Women's Champions League Quarter-finals where they lost to Barcelona.[73]
Orlando Pride
In April 2017, Marta joined Orlando Pride on a free transfer from Rosengård, which agreed to terminate her contract. Her new contract with Orlando was for two years, with the option for a third.[73] In her first season at Orlando, she finished second in the league in both goals and assists,[74] and she was named to the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) Best XI.[75] The Pride ended the season in third place, earning their first-ever playoff appearance, where they lost in the semi-finals to the Portland Thorns.[76]
Marta scored four goals and had four assists during the 2018 NWSL season, winning the NWSL Goal of the Week award in week 15.[77] The Pride finished seventh in the league and did not advance into the NWSL Playoffs.[78] She scored six goals during the 2019 NWSL season and won the NWSL Player of the Week award for week 13.[79] The Pride finished last in the league.[78] After the 2019 season, Marta re-signed a contract to stay with the Pride.[80] The 2020 NWSL season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, but the Pride were scheduled to compete in the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup.[81] However, the Pride had to withdraw due to multiple positive COVID-19 test results.[82] She played in every minute of the four games of the 2020 NWSL Fall Series.[83]
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Marta signed a one-year contract with the option of a second year heading into the 2021 season.[83] She had four goals and three assists in the 2021 NWSL season,[84] where the Pride placed eighth and did not advance into the playoffs.[78] Ahead of the 2022 season, Marta was named captain following the off-season departure of Ashlyn Harris. She suffered an ACL tear in her left knee on 26 March during the second game of the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup and was placed on the club's season-ending injury list after surgery.[85] On 21 December, Marta signed a two-year contract to stay with the Pride through the 2024 season.[86]
Marta returned to play 18 games in the 2023 NWSL season and scored four goals.[87] On 2 October 2023, she became the first player to reach 100 appearances for the Pride in a 1–0 win over Angel City FC.[88] In the first home game of the 2024 season, Marta scored the equalizer in the 88th minute of the 1–1 draw with Angel City.[89] In the away game against Utah Royals, she scored in the 68th minute of the 1–0 victory and claimed Orlando Pride's 200th goal.[90] Marta won the first NWSL titles of her career with Orlando Pride in 2024, clinching both the NWSL Shield during the regular season and then the NWSL Championship with a 1–0 victory over Washington Spirit, on 23 November 2024.[91] She was named to the 2024 NWSL Best XI.[92]
Ahead of the 2025 season, Marta signed a new two-year contract with Orlando on 9 January.[93]
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International career
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2002–2006
Marta made her international debut for Brazil at the 2002 U-19 World Championships, where she scored six goals and was awarded the Silver Ball.[94] She scored her first senior international goal at the 2003 Copa América and helped Brazil win the tournament.[95][96] She then won a gold medal at the 2003 Pan American Games.[97] She made her World Cup debut and scored off a penalty kick against South Korea.[98] She scored another goal in the group stage against Norway to help Brazil win 4–1.[99] In the quarter-finals against Sweden, Marta scored off a penalty kick, but Brazil still lost 1–2.[100]
Marta represented Brazil at the 2004 Summer Olympics and scored three goals in the tournament to win the silver medal behind the United States.[101] After the Olympics, she competed at the 2004 U-19 World Championships and led Brazil to a fourth-place finish and was awarded the Golden Ball.[45][102]
2007–2010
On 26 July 2007, Marta scored two goals to beat the U.S. U-20 national team to win the Pan American Games at the Estádio do Maracanã in front of a crowd of 68,000.[103] Afterward, the imprint of her feet was recorded in cement at the stadium, making her the first woman to be so honored.[104]
Marta participated in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup with Brazil, who strolled through the group stage, winning all three games with Marta scoring four goals.[105] In the quarter-final, Brazil won 3–2 against Australia, with Marta netting from the penalty spot.[106] In the semi-final, Marta scored twice as Brazil won 4–0 against the United States.[107] In the final, Brazil lost 2–0 to Germany. Marta had a penalty kick saved midway through the second half, which would have tied the match.[108] She finished the 2007 Women's World Cup as the winner of both the Golden Ball as the top individual player and the 'Golden Boot' as the competition's top scorer with seven goals.[94]
Marta played in the 2008 Summer Olympics, earning a silver medal. A 1–0 defeat consigned Marta to her third consecutive runners–up medal in a major international tournament.[109] She scored nine goals in the 2010 Copa América to lead Brazil to the title.[110]
2011–2014
Marta was part of the Brazil team at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, where the United States eliminated Brazil in the quarter-finals. Marta scored both of Brazil's goals in this game, but the team lost the penalty shoot-out. She recorded four goals and two assists in the tournament to move joint top of the all-time women's World Cup goalscorer list alongside Birgit Prinz on 14.[111][112] It also earned her the Silver Boot as the tournament's second-leading goal scorer.[113] She played at the 2012 Summer Olympics,[114] where Brazil was knocked out by the reigning-World Cup champions Japan in the quarter-finals.[115]
2015–2018
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During her fourth World Cup in 2015, Marta became the all-time top scorer of the women's tournament with 15 goals once she scored the second goal in Brazil's debut against South Korea.[116] Brazil lost to Australia in the round-of-16.[117] She represented Brazil at the 2016 Summer Olympics and scored two goals against Sweden to help Brazil win their group.[118] In the quarter-finals game against Australia, Marta missed her penalty kick during the shoot-out, but Brazil still won.[119] They played Sweden again in the semi-finals but lost a penalty shoot-out.[120] At the 2018 Copa América, Marta helped Brazil defend its title.[121]
2019–2022
During the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, she became the first player, male or female, to score at five FIFA World Cup tournaments when she scored a penalty against Australia in Brazil's second group game. In the next match, she scored another penalty, this time against Italy, to become the outright leading goalscorer, male or female, at the World Cup with 17 goals in total.[4] After Brazil were knocked out by hosts France in the Round of 16,[122] Marta gave an emotional interview to television cameras where she pleaded with Brazilian girls to continue the legacy of ageing legends such as herself, Formiga, and Cristiane. She implored them to "value [women's football] more" and to "cry at the beginning so you can smile at the end." The interview went viral during the tournament, with videos getting tens of thousands of retweets on Twitter.[123]
Marta played for Brazil at the 2020 Summer Olympics, which were held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 21 July 2021, she scored twice in a 5–0 win against China to become the first player to score in five straight Olympics.[124] Brazil went on to lose a penalty shoot-out to Canada in the quarter-finals.[125]
2023–present
On 26 April 2024, Marta announced her retirement from international football following the 2024 Summer Olympics.[126][127] She got sent off in the first half stoppage time of Brazil's final group play match against Spain for a hit on Olga Carmona, being suspended for two games, but returned coming off the bench in the final against the United States, where a 1–0 defeat to the United States gave Marta her third silver medal.[126][127]
Marta came out of retirement to represent Brazil in the Copa América Femenina. After initially retiring from the national team following the 2024 Olympics, she returned for a pair of friendlies against Japan in May and was subsequently included in the Copa América squad. She even played a crucial role in Brazil's victory in the final, scoring a late equalizer and contributing in the penalty shootout.[128][129]
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Style of play
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A small, quick, yet sturdy and tenacious player,[130] who is regarded by many in the sport as the greatest female footballer of all time,[2] Marta is renowned for her flair, quick feet, and exceptional skill on the ball, which has earned her comparisons with Ronaldinho,[131] Romário,[132] and also Pelé, who himself dubbed her as Pelé with skirts.[133] In addition to her vision and technical skills, Marta is also known for her pace when dribbling at speed.[132][134][135] Marta is capable of playing in several offensive positions: she began her career in an offensive midfield role as a classic number 10,[136][137] although she was later deployed in a more advanced role,[138] both as a supporting forward[139] and as a main striker,[140] or even on the wing, a position which allows her to cut into the middle and shoot on goal with her stronger left foot.[107][132][136][141]
Although she is primarily known for her creativity, chance creation, and ability to play off of her teammates as an advanced playmaker,[132][135][142][143] Marta is a prolific goalscorer, who is renowned for her striking ability;[144] she is also accurate from penalties and set-pieces.[145] In addition to her footballing abilities, Marta has also stood out for her leadership.[146][147]
In popular culture
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Marta's life and football prowess was depicted in the 2005 Sveriges Television (SVT) documentary Marta – Pelés kusin ("Marta – Pelé's cousin").[148] She also appeared in the 2013 SVT documentary series The Other Sport.[149] She spoke about equality in women's football in the 2013 CNN documentary An Uneven Playing Field.[150]
In 2010, Marta was named a United Nations (UN) Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador until 2018 when she was named a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador for women in sports.[151] She became the first UN Women Goodwill Ambassador from Latin America.[152] In 2019, she was appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations as a Sustainable Development Goals advocate.[153] LATAM Airlines Brasil named Marta their "Global Leader of Diversity and Inclusion" in 2022 and featured her in television commercials.[154]
Marta was named one of the six ambassadors of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, alongside Amarildo, Bebeto, Carlos Alberto Torres, Ronaldo and Mario Zagallo.[155] In 2016, she was listed as one of BBC's 100 Women.[156]
In 2017, Swedish sports journalist Anja Gatu released a children's book titled Gå på mål, Marta ut ("Go for the Goal Marta") that told the story of Marta's childhood.[157] Marta launched a sportswear brand named Go Equal in 2023 and donated all royalties from product sales to football-related organizations that promote female leadership in the sport.[158]
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Personal life
Marta has three siblings, José, Valdir, and Angela. Her parents are Aldário and Tereza. Her father left the family while Marta was a baby.[159] She is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish and English.[160] She is a Catholic and states that God is very important to her, although she does not go to church often.[161]
In March 2017, Marta received Swedish citizenship. She retained her Brazilian citizenship and, having already been capped by Brazil, it did not make her eligible to represent Sweden.[162][163] She gained a U.S. green card in February 2021, giving her permanent residency status and also qualifying her as a domestic player for NWSL roster purposes.[164]
In January 2021, after several years of dating, Marta announced she was engaged to Orlando Pride teammate Toni Pressley.[165] The engagement was later called off.[166] Since 2022, Marta has been in a relationship with her Orlando Pride teammate Carrie Lawrence. In August 2024, they announced their engagement.[167]
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Career statistics
Club
- As of 9 November 2024
International
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Honours
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Umeå IK
- Damallsvenskan: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008[155]
- Svenska Cupen: 2007[168]
- UEFA Women's Cup: 2003–04;[155] runner-up: 2006–07, 2007–08[155]
Santos
FC Gold Pride
Western New York Flash
Tyresö FF
- Damallsvenskan: 2012[155]
- UEFA Women's Champions League runner-up: 2013–14[155]
FC Rosengård
Orlando Pride
Brazil
- Pan American Games: 2003, 2007[155]
- Sudamericano Femenino: 2003, 2010, 2018, 2025[155][171]
- FIFA Women's World Cup runner-up: 2007[155]
- Summer Olympics Silver Medal: 2004, 2008[155] 2024[172]
Individual
- FIFA World Player of the Year/The Best FIFA Women's Player[173] – Winner (6): 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2018
- The Best FIFA Women's Player – runner-up: 2016[174]
- FIFPro World XI: 2016, 2017, 2019,[175] 2021,[176] 2024[177]
- Damallsvenskan Top Scorer: 2004, 2005, 2008[178]
- FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Golden Ball: 2004[155]
- FIFA Women's World Cup Golden Boot: 2007[179]
- FIFA Women's World Cup Golden Ball: 2007[179]
- FIFA Best Special Award: 2023[180]
- WPS Golden Boot: 2009,[155] 2010,[155] 2011[155]
- Michelle Akers Player of the Year Award: 2009,[32] 2010[181]
- Sudamericano Femenino Golden Boot: 2010[182]
- Sports Illustrated Top 20 Female Athletes of the Decade (2000–2009) (#7)[183]
- IFFHS World's Best Woman Playmaker: 2012[184]
- IFFHS Women's World Team: 2018[185]
- IFFHS World's Best Woman Player of the Decade 2011–2020[186]
- IFFHS CONMEBOL Best Woman Player of the Decade 2011–2020[187]
- IFFHS World's Woman Team of the Decade 2011–2020[188]
- IFFHS CONMEBOL Woman Team of the Decade 2011–2020[189]
- NWSL Best XI First Team: 2024[190]
Records
- FIFA Women's World Cup all-time record goalscorer (17)[191]
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See also
Notes
- This feat has since been matched by Christine Sinclair in 2019 and Cristiano Ronaldo in 2022.[5]
- Includes the NWSL Fall Series
References
Further reading
External links
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