Brazil star Marta, who will be participating in her sixth World Cup this year, has announced that it will be her last. At 37 years old, Marta wants to focus on other aspects of her life. The Seleção, coached by Pia Sundhage, are in Group F at the tournament in Australia and New Zealand, alongside Panama, France and Jamaica.
Marta, who was named to the team last week, will be one of the oldest players featured in the tournament. After making her debut at the World Cup in the United States in 2003 at the age of 17, she has been a mainstay of the national squad ever since.
Her World Cup career includes goals in each of the five previous tournaments she played in. The highlight was in 2007. In that tournament, her seven goals led the tournament, as Brazil reached the Final, only losing to Germany, 2-0. She won the Player of the Tournament award and scored one of the greatest goals in Women’s World Cup history. That came in a 4-0 thrashing of the United States in the semifinals. In total, Marta scored 17 goals combined in her World Cup experience.
As she will be 41 years old by the time of the following World Cup in 2027, she told local reporters in Brasilia that this year’s would be her last one.
“Yes, it will be my last World Cup. We have to understand that a time comes for us to prioritize other things. I just have to be thankful to have lived all those years in the national team. To have the opportunity to go to another World Cup, a sixth one, for me is something surreal.”
In the world of women’s soccer, Marta is a legend, particularly in her home country of Brazil. Soccer is a huge part of Brazilian culture and together with Cristiane and Formiga, she helped to revolutionize the women’s game in the country.
When it comes to the men’s World Cup, Brazil holds the record with five victories; the women’s team, however, has yet to do so. With this being her last competition, Marta will attempt to make history by winning the title after five unsuccessful tries.
PHOTO: IMAGO / Action Plus
