Brazil’s great Marta, who is affectionately called Queen Marta, has said that this will be her last year playing for the Brazilian Women’s National team.
Born Marta Vieira da Silva, the Brazilian great is currently 38 years old, and after several years with the Brazil national team, she has announced that “there will be no more Marta from 2025 in the national team as an athlete.”
Queen Marta, who currently plays for Orlando Pride in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), a team she joined in 2017 from Rosengård, has played for the Brazil national team since 2002 and is currently the all-time top scorer in both men’s and women’s football.
Records available suggest she has scored 116 goals for the Brazil national team, and with 17 goals, she holds the record for the most goals scored at the World Cup, and that is not only for the women’s game but the men’s game as well.
Having been named FIFA World Player of the Year six times — five of which she won consecutively from 2006 through 2010 — Queen Marta has etched her name into the history books as one of the greatest footballers.
In an interview with CNN on Thursday, Queen Marta said, “If I go to the Olympics, I will enjoy every moment, because, regardless of whether I go to the Olympics or not, this is my last year with the national team,” adding that, “There will be no more Marta from 2025 in the national team as an athlete.”
At 38 years old, Marta has paid her dues in the Brazil national team, and she feels the younger generation holds a lot of promise and must be given the opportunity to excel.
“I am very calm about this, because I see with great optimism this development that we are having in relation to young athletes,” Queen Marta said.
Marta has won three Copa America Femenina titles with Brazil and was a silver medalist with Brazil at the 2004 and 2008 Games.
Marta’s impressive career has seen her play for the likes of Vasco da Gama, Santos, Umea IK, Tyreso FF, Rosengard, Los Angeles Sol, Western New York Flash and Gold Pride.
She currently plays for Orlando Pride in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).