Marta pursues soccer gold at the Olympics while preparing to pass the torch to Brazil's youngsters
Marta can’t help but be a bit nostalgic heading into her last big tournament with the Brazilian national team.
But for the 38-year-old six-time world player of the year, the time has come to finally step away.
"I contributed what I supposed to give to the national team, you know? I’m feeling so comfortable to leave because when I look around me and I see really, really good players, young players, who can keep doing the work and keep representing Brazil so well,” Marta said.
Marta will be playing in her sixth Olympics in France before handing the team she captains over to the next generation.
“It’s been so much of my life, since I was 14, I left home and then I just live soccer every single day,” she added. “I just feel like maybe it’s time to just take a little bit away from that and let the young players shine.”
A tournament championship would be the perfect way to cap an international career that has spanned more than 20 years, and her teammates know it.
“I feel like every time you step on the field, playing with Marta by your side, it’s such a great responsibility. She’s a great player and we have to play for her now,” said defender Rafaelle. “She was like my biggest idol since I was growing up. So playing with her now is such a dream for me.”
Better known just by her first name, Marta Vieira da Silva has scored a record 118 goals in 183 international appearances with Brazil. In addition to her six Olympics, she has also played in six women’s World Cups.
She has the record for most World Cup goals with 17, and she has 13 Olympic goals, one away from matching fellow Brazilian Cristiane's record.
Marta grew up playing street soccer with the boys in Dois Riachos, a town in eastern Brazil some 1,250 miles (2,011 kilometers) north of Rio de Janeiro. She was just 17 when she appeared at the 2003 World Cup, held in the United States.
Over time, her role has changed with Brazil. In recent years she’s been more of a player coach, guiding the team’s up-and-coming stars.
“Of course I bring all of the experience that I achieved in my career, like playing in big tournaments like the Olympics and the World Cup, playing against good teams, against good players," she said. "So I try to share the best of me and the best of what I live in soccer with the players to make them feel comfortable, or make them feel proud to be there. Like, we expect the best of you. That’s why you are here, so this is the goal and then do your best.”
Marta is still a valuable asset on the field, and she’s proven it this season with the Orlando Pride, her club team in the National Women’s Soccer League. She’s got five goals in 12 games this year with the Pride, who are undefeated and sit atop the league standings. Marta has played with Orlando since 2017.
“I still can read the game, like, really well," she said. "And I try to put myself in a good situation to give my best to the team. So I’m not going to compete all the time with a player that’s 10, 11 years younger than me. But I may be able to put my brain to work a little faster and then read the situation and try to do my best.”
With the many accolades Marta’s earned throughout her career, one thing has eluded her: A championship trophy in a major international tournament.
Brazil’s best finish at the World Cup was runner-up in 2007. Brazil won silver medals at both the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, but a gold medal has remained out of reach.
“With her saying it’s her last Olympics, it just brings more responsibility to her and to us to end this tournament on a good note with this title that the national team doesn’t have and she doesn’t have either,” Brazilian teammate Adriana said. “So it’s more motivation for us to help her with this and to hopefully win.”
While the Women’s World Cup will be hosted by Brazil in 2027, Marta is not thinking about sticking around for another three years. But she’s told the federation she’ll help in any way possible.
She’s wistful as she thinks about her favorite moment with the national team. The two that stick out are the 2004 Olympics, her first, when Brazil advanced to the final but fell 2-1 to the United States, and the 2007 World Cup when the Brazilians beat the Americans 4-1 in the semifinals. Marta scored twice in that match and won the tournament Golden Boot with seven goals despite Brazil dropping the title match against Germany.
“It’s the passion,” she said about her love for the game. “The passion that we show when we play, the passion that we see from when the people celebrate a goal. We make people happy.
“You make all the people happy and you make people dream — and it’s not only about soccer — it’s about what it’s like to believe. Believe in yourself. Believe in your potential. So soccer gives you a lot of things like that. And for me, it’s the best part.”
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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
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