Marta (player): biography, career and awards

Marta Vieira da Silva, the marta, is the main player of soccer of the world and acts in the field in the position of attacker. Born in the municipality of Dois Riachos, in Alagoas, on February 19, 1986, the Brazilian is called the queen of soccer and was elected six times such as best player in the world by the International Football Federation (Fifa).

The athlete had a humble childhood in the interior of Alagoas. Her father left the family when she was just one year old. Since then, Marta and her three brothers (Ângela, José and Valdir) were raised by their mother Tereza da Silva. The player is not married and has no children.

Marta's career

Marta's interest in football emerged in the early years of her life. As a child, she liked to play with the boys, in the interior of Alagoas. She was the only girl in the group, and at a time when prejudice was still very high around women in sports, Marta “ignored” the criticism and discrimination from those around her.

Marta was elected the best soccer player in the world by FIFA six times. [1]

To help support the house, Marta shared the time when she was not on the “pelada” fields (a place where soccer is played amateur) for the work of "carroçagem", the name given to the activity of pushing a wheelbarrow with products at a fair in the region. She also sold clothes and bags and accepted the other services she found at the fair, as well as washing dishes at friends' families to earn some money that she could help around the house.

At the Banco do Brasil Athletic Association (AABB), in Santana do Ipanema/AL, the Children's Futsal Cup, one of the main competitions in the region, and coach Luiz Euclides, known as “Tota”, accepted that a girl, Marta, played with the boys.

Since that stage, she already showed a lot of skill and strength, and sometimes stood out in front of boys. The situation ended up getting complicated, as some of them threatened to hurt her, with that, the coach made an administrative decision that excluded her from the games. The competition was renamed the AABB Men's Futsal Cup, preventing women's participation.

Despite the young girl's disappointment at not being able to play anymore, she didn't give up. After a few days, coach Tota got tests for Marta in Rio de Janeiro. She would do two tests: first on the Vasco and then in the Fluminense. With the wagon and the help of people close to her, Marta managed to save a little money to take a bus on her own, at the age of 14, bound for Rio de Janeiro.

Marta's registration with the Rio de Janeiro State Football Federation (FERJ) [2]

Marta did not arrive at Fluminense, but she was approved in her first training at Vasco. In the first few minutes of the audition, she already stood out among the other girls. She stayed at Vasco for three years and was lent to Santa Cruz, in Minas Gerais, where she stayed for a short time, until the Rio club negotiated the sale of the player to a europe club.

Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)

See Marta's trajectory between clubs in Sweden, Brazil and the United States:

• Umeå IK - Sweden

The soccer queen started to stand out to the world when she arrived at the Umeå IK, in Sweden. She stayed there for five seasons (2004-2009) and got her first award for best soccer player in the world, in 2006.

• Los Angeles Sol - USA

In 2009 the athlete was hired by the team of Los Angeles Sun. Marta belonged to the club until 2010. On the team, she was top scorer in the US National League, taking the team to second place in the tournament.

• Santos - Brazil

During the period that Marta was a Los Angeles Sol athlete, she was loaned to the saints for three months. At the Brazilian club, Marta was champion of Liberators cup and Women's Cup of Brazil, in 2009. She also returned in 2010, acting for just two months.

• FC Gold Pride - USA

Marta returned to Los Angeles Sol and became available for the draft (Athletes from clubs that ended activities are free to be hired by other teams). The player was chosen by FC Gold Pride and was, in 2010, top scorer in the National League for the second time, leading the team to the title.

• Western New York Flash - USA

This time, the player reinforced the Western New York Flash. In 2011 Marta's team was also champion of the league.

• Tyreso FF – Sweden

The player returned to the country where she stood out in football in 2012. This time, she wore the shirt of the Tyreso FF for two years. The team was national champion and European runner-up between 2013-2014.

• FC Rosengård – Sweden

Marta joined FC Rosengård in 2014 after Tyreso went bankrupt. His contract was for six months with the possibility of extension, which ended up happening. At Rosengård, the player was two-time champion of the Swedish League, in 2014 and 2015. The following year, the team was runner-up.

• Orlando Pride - USA

O Orlando Pride, from the United States, hired Marta in 2017 and is the current club of the Brazilian player. The team has not yet won titles.

Since 2017, Marta has been in the US playing for Orlando Pride. [3]

Brazilian Team

With the national team, Marta was champion of the Pan-American Games of 2003 and 2007. US Olympic Games from 2004 and 2008, the team was runner-up.

Marta playing for the national team in the game against Japan in the 2018 Tournament of Nations. [4]

In 2007, Marta helped the team to reach the first time in the final of world Cup. Despite not having taken the title of the tournament, the player scored the most beautiful goal in the competition in the semifinal, which led Brazil to the decision. In the final, Germany was champion, and Marta was the top scorer of the tournament with seven goals scored.

• Awards and records

Marta was considered the best player in the world six times. [5]

In 2018, Marta won the award for the best soccer player in the world for the sixth time. The Brazilian had already been awarded by FIFA another five consecutive times, from 2006 to 2010. Among men and women, Marta was the most awarded athlete until the 2019 edition, when the Argentine Lionel Messi also received his sixth trophy and equaled the player.

Another record of Marta is the World Cup top scorer. In 2019, in the game between Italy and Brazil, she scored her 17th goal in worlds, overtaking Klose, who was the top scorer in the worlds, with 16 goals.

Marta is also the first athlete to score goals in five different editions of the World Cup. Her first cup was at the age of 17, in 2003 (three goals), then she was present in the 2007 (seven goals), 2011 (four goals), 2015 (one goal) and 2019 (two goals) editions.

In 2015, Marta surpassed Pele, the King of Football, and became the top scorer of the Brazilian team. She currently has 117 goals. Pelé has 95 goals scored with the shirt of Brazil.

Tributes

• Maracanã

Tribute to Marta at Maracanã Stadium [6]

Marta left her mark on the walk of fame of the Maracana Stadium, the main one in the country. She is the only woman with the foot print in the place who carries memories of great national football players, such as Pelé, Garrincha and Zico. The honor came after Marta received the sixth award for best player in the world. The mold is in a space with the name “Queen Marta”.

• UN

In 2018, the United Nations (UN) named Marta as Goodwill Ambassador for women and girls in sport. As an example of overcoming difficulties in sport since childhood, Marta is an inspiration for young athletes and a symbol of the fight for gender equality in sport.

Since then, the player has dedicated herself to supporting the work of women in sport around the world. In addition, she also inspires women and girls to overcome barriers and pursue their dreams in many other areas.

Titles

clubs

Vasco da Gama: (Brazilian Under-19 Championship: 2001)

Umea IK: (UEFA Champions League: 2003-2004/Swedish Championship: 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008/Swedish Cup: 2007/Swedish Super Cup: 2003-2004)

saints: (Copa Libertadores da América: 2009/Copa do Brasil: 2009)

FC Gold Pride: (United States Women's Football League: 2010)

Western New York Flash: (United States Women's Football League: 2011)

Tyreso FF: (Damallsvenskan: 2012/Swedish Super Cup: 2012

FC Rosengard: (Damallsvenskan: 2014, 2015/Swedish Super Cup: 2014, 2015, 2016/Swedish Cup: 2016)

Brazilian Team

Pan-American Games: gold medal (Santo Domingo 2003 and Rio 2007)Women's America Cup: 2003, 2010, 2018

International Tournament City of São Paulo: 2009, 2011 and 2012

Featured campaigns

Women's Soccer World Cup - 2nd place (2007)

South American Women's Championship - 2nd place (2006)

Olympic Games - silver medal (2004 and 2008)

Awards and achievements

World's best player by FIFA: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2018

FIFA Golden Ball: 2010

FIFA U-20 Women's Soccer World Cup Golden Ball: 2004

Golden Ball Women's Soccer World Cup: 2007

Women's Soccer World Cup Golden Boot: 2007

Artillery***

2007 Pan American Games (12 goals)

2007 Women's World Cup (seven goals)

Swedish Championship in 2004, 2005 and 2008 (22, 21 and 23 goals)

City of São Paulo International Tournament 2009 (seven goals)

US Women's Football League 2009 (10 goals)

US Women's Football League 2010 (19 goals)

2011 US Women's Football League (10 goals)

Top scorer in the history of the Women's Soccer World Cup (17 goals)

Top Scorer in the History of the Brazilian National Team (Male and Female) (117 goals)

***The player is still active and the numbers may change.

Image credit

[1]Shutterstock/Antonio Scorza

[2] Reproduction/Twitter Vasco

[3]Jamie Smed

[4]Shutterstock/lev radin

[5] YouTube Playback – CBF TV

[6]Shutterstock/A.RICARDO

By Giullya Franco
Journalist