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Marta Vieira da Silva , known as Marta, is one of the most celebrated female soccer players in history, considered one of the greatest of all time. The Brazilian played her first World Cup when she was 17, and she has officially played her sixth - and last. It did not go as she hoped, and Brazil was eliminated after a 0-0 draw against Jamaica, its earliest elimination since 1995, per NPR.
Marta will continue to play for the Orlando Pride in the NWSL, but it’s her final world cup. Following the game, the olympian made a tearful and powerful speech, saying “Not even in my worst nightmares was it the World Cup I dreamed of.”
Staying strong, she stayed hopeful for Brazil’s future in the sport. “But it’s just the beginning,” she said. “The Brazilian people are asking for a renewal. There is a renewal, I think I’m the only old lady here,” Marta continued. “Most of them are girls who have a lot of talent who have a huge path ahead of them. I’m done here, but they’re still here.”
Fighting back tears Marta continued, “I’m very happy with all that has been happening in women’s football in Brazil and the world. Keep supporting.” “Because for them, it’s just the beginning. For me, it’s the end of the line now.”
At the end of the match, Jamaica’s Khadija Shaw hugged Marta and told her how important she is as a role model. “I just told her that she’s not just an inspiration for me, but for a lot of young girls in the Caribbean and around the world,” Shaw said, according to The Associated Press.
How Marta changed the sport
Before the match at a press conference, Marta reflected on her experience when she started playing, calling out the media. “When I started playing, I didn’t have an idol, a female idol. You guys didn’t show any female games,” she said in Portuguese.
“How was I supposed to see other players? How was I supposed to understand that I could arrive at a national team and become a reference?” Marta continued, explaining that now, parents stop her on street to tell her their daughter loves her.
Although it’s her last world cup, Marta has plenty of accolades to be proud of. She has been awarded the FIFA World Player of the Year six times (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2018), making her the most decorated female player in this category. She has represented Brazil in five Olympic Games (2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing, 2012 London, 2016 Rio de Janeiro, and 2020 Tokyo), and is leaving the World Cup with 17 finals goals to her name, more than any other player in the history of the World Cup