Months later, she joined Swedish club Umea, and promptly landed the UEFA Women's Cup - forerunner to the modern Champions League - with them. Everyone is born with a gift, and this is hers," Sissi told AFP.īy 2003, Marta was in Brazil's World Cup squad, aged just 17. "Her technical ability and explosive pace were incomparable. She remembers the first time she set eyes on Marta. Sissi, considered Marta's predecessor as Brazil's top female star, was then in the club's senior side. She impressed in one trial and signed for the Vasco da Gama youth team. Marta met Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ahead of the Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand © EVARISTO SA / AFP She played in school leagues until the day when one coach refused to let his team compete unless she withdrew.Īt that stage, a local scout brought her to Rio de Janeiro for trials with nascent women's clubs.Īged 14, Marta had never left her home state. The family had no money for school supplies, so Marta only started education aged nine. Home life was difficult - her parents split up before she was a year old, and her mother was left to fend for herself and four children. Marta Vieira Da Silva has been chasing her dreams all her life, starting off by trying to keep up with her brothers as they played. Marta might not have won three World Cups like Pele but she is one of the most decorated players in history and has been named FIFA world player of the year six times.īut her biggest achievement was to escape the misery of a difficult childhood in Dois Riachos, Alagoas state, in Brazil's arid northeast.Ī UN ambassador for gender equality, she is an inspiration for many Brazilian women who love to play football but are often stigmatized in a country where machismo looms large. I suffered a lot," she said after making her comeback. "It's the first time I've gone that long without playing. She returned only in February, for Brazil's 1-0 win over Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. The three-time Copa America winner (2003, 20) missed that competition last year, when Brazil successfully defended their title. Marta herself spent nearly a year away from the pitch with a serious knee injury. Marta will be without two of her veteran companions.įellow legend Formiga retired from the national team in 2021 after seven World Cups, while forward Cristiane, 38, was not selected. She will now get a chance to extend that record. She is the all-time leading goal scorer in World Cups - men's or women's - with 17 in five editions, one better than Germany's Miroslav Klose. Marta has however spent a lifetime overcoming obstacles, from a childhood of poverty to sexism and, more recently, the worst injury of her career.Īrguably the best female player of all time, she has come agonisingly close to international glory with the "Selecao", making it to the World Cup final in 2007 and picking up silver medals in the 20 Olympics. "It is to be expected that I am not the Marta of 20 years ago but physically I feel good and mentally I am even better," she insisted. Yet Brazil's chances of sending her off with a first world crown look slim, with Marta battling injury in the twilight of her career and the team at a generational crossroads. I hate that it had to be this way, but this is what she’s been fighting for, is for us all to be able to play this game and play it well and get the recognition.The 37-year-old has confirmed this will "undoubtedly" be her last appearance at the World Cup in an interview with YouTube channel CazeTV just before coach Pia Sundhage announced her squad. “She’s a trailblazer for us women,” Jamaica forward Cheyna Matthews said. She was subbed off in the 81st minute, making way for a fresher, younger teammate to take up the challenge. Marta came off the bench in Brazil’s first two group-stage matches but returned to the starting lineup against Jamaica. They lost to France 2-1, setting up a must-win situation against Jamaica in their Group F finale. The Seleção started off strong in their tournament opener, beating Panama 4-0. I’ll stay with the good times, with the work that’s been done so far.” Winning or losing, it makes no difference. “We started it together and ended it together. “I always said that the World Cup wasn’t just about Marta, the World Cup belonged to the national team,” she said. She feels like she’s leaving it in better shape for the next generation. On the eve of what became her final World Cup game, Marta shed tears as she recalled what it was like two decades ago when she started out.
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