As of 2025, Marta holds the record for beingBrazil's top goalscorer with 122 goals. She also holds the record for most goals scored in any World Cup, women’s or men's, with 17 goals, as of 2025.[3] Moreover, she was the first footballer of any gender to score at five different World Cups,[4][a] and also the first footballer, female or male, to score at five consecutive Olympic Games.[6] She was a member of the Brazilian national teams that won the silver medal at the2004,2008 and2024 Summer Olympics.[7] She was also awarded the Golden Ball (MVP) at the2004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship and won both the Golden Ball award as the best player and the Golden Boot award as the top scorer in the2007 Women's World Cup after leading Brazil to the final of the tournament.
Marta was discovered by Brazilian female coach Helena Pacheco when she was 14 years old.[11] After playing for theCentro Sportivo Alagoano youth team,[12] Marta started her professional career atVasco da Gama in 2000, but the club folded two years later.[11] She then transferred toSanta Cruz, a small club in the state ofMinas Gerais, where she played for two more seasons before joining Umeå IK of Sweden.[13]
Marta joinedUmeå IK during the 2004 season,[14] and reached thefinal of theUEFA Women's Cup, winning 8–0 on aggregate against Frankfurt, with Marta scoring three goals over the two legs.[11] Domestically, Umeå finished second toDjurgården in both theDamallsvenskan and theSwedish Cup.[15] That season, Marta scored 22 goals and tied with teammateLaura Kalmari for most goals in the league.[16] However, they were knocked out in theUEFA Women's Cup quarter-finals by Djurgården, with Marta not being able to play due to injury.[17] In the 2005 season, Marta scored 21 league goals to be the top scorer in the Damallsvenskan and helped Umeå IK to an undefeated season.[16] During the Swedish Cup finals, Marta punchedHelen Fagerström and later apologized.[18][19] Minutes later,Malin Nykvist elbowed her in the face,[20] resulting in a fractured eye socket.[21]
In 2006, Umeå again won the league without losing, with Marta scoring 21 goals. Umeå cruised to an 11–1 aggregate win overNorwegian side Kolbotn FK in the UEFA Women's Cup semi-finals, with Marta scoring twice in both matches.[16] They went on to lose the2007 UEFA Women's Cup final toArsenal.[22] For the third time in a row, she was on the losing side in the Swedish cup final when her side was defeated 3–2 byLinköpings FC.[23] The 2007 season was relatively successful for Umeå, with the club winning both the league, in which they finished nine points ahead of Djurgården,[24] and the Swedish Cup, beatingAIK 4–3 in a match in which Marta scored ahat-trick, the last (winning) goal coming three minutes from time. Marta scored 25 goals in the league, finishing one goal behind the top scorerLotta Schelin.[25]
The2008 season saw Umeå win another league title, with Marta tying withManon Melis for the top scorer in the league.[26] On the day of theFIFA World Player of the Year Awards in January 2009, Marta announced that she would play for theLos Angeles Sol for the next three years.[27][28] At the request of Marta, the Los Angeles side also purchasedJohanna Frisk from Umeå IK,[29] which led to a report by SwedishTV4 sports presenter Patrick Ekwall that Marta and Frisk were alesbian couple.[30] Both players denied this to be true.[31]
Marta joined theWomen's Professional Soccer (WPS) teamLos Angeles Sol for the league's inaugural season on a three-year contract.[32][33] Of her signing, she said, "For me, the most important thing is to be in a place where the best players in the world are playing, and this is what they are trying to do here. The American League is being considered one of the best in the world, so I had to come now."[34] She was the league's top scorer for the2009 season with ten goals and three assists.[35] She won the Player of the Week Award twice,[36][37] and she won theWPS MVP.[35] She played in the2009 WPS All-Star Game against her former club, Umeå IK, and helped the WPS team win.[38] The Sol were regular season champions and reached the WPS Championship Final, where they lost 1–0 toSky Blue FC.[39]
During the off-season with Los Angeles Sol, she signed a three-month loan contract withSantos to play in theCopa Libertadores and in theCopa do Brasil,[40][41] helping her club win both competitions, and scoring a goal in the Libertadores final and two in the Copa do Brasil final.[42][43]
Marta playing for FC Gold Pride at the 2010 WPS Championship
In January 2010, the Sol ceased operations,[44] and the rights to Marta and her teammates were made available in the2010 WPS Dispersal Draft. The rights to Marta were acquired by theFC Gold Pride as their first pick.[45] She appeared in all of the Pride's 24 games and scored 19 goals, earning her theWPS MVP andWPS Golden Boot for the second year in a row.[46] Marta appeared in theWPS All-Star 2010, where she captained the international team and led them to victory.[47] She led the Gold Pride to the regular-season championship and had two assists and a goal in theWPS Championship against thePhiladelphia Independence, earning MVP honors.[48] She became a free agent after the Gold Pride folded in November 2010.[49]
In December 2010, Marta joined Santos again for a three-month loan.[50] During this time, Santos began negotiations to joinWomen's Professional Soccer (WPS) in the United States. However, WPS rules would have only allowed five Brazilian players – Marta and four others – so Santos did not join the league.[51] She played in the Women's International Club Football Tournament held inAraraquara, helping Santos win the competition.[52]
On 25 January 2011, Marta joined her third WPS team in three years, the expansion teamWestern New York Flash, who took over the third year of her contract with the Gold Pride.[48][53] She scored ten goals in 14 games during the season to earn her third consecutiveWPS Golden Boot,[54] and she was named to the 2011 WPS Best XI.[55] She helped the Western New York Flash win the 2011 WPS Championship title 1–1 (5–4) in apenalty kick shootout.[56]
As WPS cancelled the 2012 season, Marta decided to return toDamallsvenskan in Sweden. On 22 February 2012 she signed a two-year contract withTyresö FF.[57] Her salary of about $400,000[58][59] per season was paid by external sponsors and not the club, its owners stated.[60] Marta helped Tyresö win the Damallsvenskan title for the first time in the2012 season.[61] However, they lost the 2012 Swedish Cup final toKopparbergs/Göteborg FC.[62]
As news of Tyresö's financial difficulties spread, Marta was linked with a possibletransfer toAvaldsnes IL, but the NorwegianToppserien club's chairman warned that she would have to take a substantial pay cut.[66]Paris Saint-Germain Féminines were also reported to have approached Marta and her Tyresö teammateCaroline Seger.[67]
In April 2017, Marta joinedOrlando Pride on a free transfer from Rosengård, which agreed to terminate her contract. Her new contract with Orlando was for two years, with the option for a third.[76] In her first season at Orlando, she finished second in the league in both goals and assists,[77] and she was named to theNational Women's Soccer League (NWSL) Best XI.[78] The Pride ended the season in third place, earning their first-ever playoff appearance, where they lost in thesemi-finals to thePortland Thorns.[79]
Marta scored four goals and had four assists during the2018 NWSL season, winning theNWSL Goal of the Week award in week 15.[80] The Pride finished seventh in the league and did not advance into the NWSL Playoffs.[81] She scored six goals during the2019 NWSL season and won theNWSL Player of the Week award for week 13.[82] The Pride finished last in the league.[81] After the 2019 season, Marta re-signed a contract to stay with the Pride.[83] The2020 NWSL season was canceled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic in the United States, but the Pride were scheduled to compete in the2020 NWSL Challenge Cup.[84] However, the Pride had to withdraw due to multiple positive COVID-19 test results.[85] She played in every minute of the four games of the 2020 NWSL Fall Series.[86]
Marta signed a one-year contract with the option of a second year heading into the 2021 season.[86] She had four goals and three assists in the2021 NWSL season,[87] where the Pride placed eighth and did not advance into the playoffs.[81] Ahead of the2022 season, Marta was namedcaptain following the off-season departure ofAshlyn Harris. She suffered an ACL tear in her left knee on 26 March during the second game of the2022 NWSL Challenge Cup and was placed on the club's season-ending injury list before surgery.[88] On 21 December, Marta signed a two-year contract to stay with the Pride through the 2024 season.[89]
Marta returned to play 18 games in the2023 NWSL season and scored four goals.[90] On 2 October 2023, she became the first player to reach 100 appearances for the Pride in a 1–0 win overAngel City FC.[91] In the first home game of the2024 season, Marta scored the equalizer in the 88th minute of the 1–1 draw with Angel City.[92] In the away game againstUtah Royals, she scored in the 68th minute of the 1–0 victory and claimed Orlando Pride's 200th goal.[93] Marta won the first NWSL titles of her career with Orlando Pride in 2024, clinching both theNWSL Shield during the regular season and then theNWSL Championship with a 1–0 victory overWashington Spirit, on 23 November 2024.[94] She was named to the 2024 NWSL Best XI.[95]
Ahead of the2025 season, Marta signed a new two-year contract with Orlando on 9 January.[96]
Marta made her international debut for Brazil at the2002 U-19 World Championships, where she scored six goals and was awarded theSilver Ball.[97] She scored her first senior international goal at the2003 Copa América and helped Brazil win the tournament.[98][99] She then won a gold medal at the2003 Pan American Games.[100] She made herWorld Cup debut and scored off apenalty kick against South Korea.[101] She scored another goal in the group stage against Norway to help Brazil win 4–1.[102] In the quarter-finals against Sweden, Marta scored off a penalty kick, but Brazil still lost 1–2.[103]
On 26 July 2007, Marta scored two goals to beat the U.S. U-20 national team to win thePan American Games at theEstádio do Maracanã in front of a crowd of 68,000.[106] Afterward, the imprint of her feet was recorded in cement at the stadium, making her the first woman to be so honored.[107]
Marta participated in the2007 FIFA Women's World Cup with Brazil, who won three games in the group stage with Marta scoring four goals.[108] In the quarter-final, Brazil won 3–2 againstAustralia, with Marta netting from the penalty spot.[109] In the semi-final, Marta scored twice as Brazil won 4–0 against theUnited States.[110] In the final, Brazil lost 2–0 to Germany. Marta had a penalty kick saved midway through the second half, which would have tied the match.[111] She finished the 2007 Women's World Cup as the winner of both the Golden Ball as the top individual player and the 'Golden Boot' as the competition's top scorer with seven goals.[97]
Marta played in the2008 Summer Olympics, earning a silver medal. A 1–0 defeat consigned Marta to her third consecutive runners–up medal in a major international tournament.[112] She scored eight goals in the2010 Copa América to lead Brazil to the title.[113]
Marta was part of the Brazil team at the2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, where the United States eliminated Brazil in the quarter-finals. Marta scored both of Brazil's goals in this game, but the team lost thepenalty shoot-out. She recorded four goals and two assists in the tournament to move joint top of the all-time women's World Cup goalscorer list alongsideBirgit Prinz on 14.[114][115] It also earned her the Silver Boot as the tournament's second-leading goal scorer.[116] She played at the2012 Summer Olympics, where Brazil was knocked out by the reigning-World Cup champions Japan in the quarter-finals.[117]
During her fourth World Cup in2015, Marta became the all-time top scorer of the women's tournament with 15 goals once she scored the second goal in Brazil's debut against South Korea.[118] Brazil lost to Australia in the round-of-16.[119] She representedBrazil at the 2016 Summer Olympics and scored two goals against Sweden to help Brazil win their group.[120] In the quarter-finals game against Australia, Marta missed her penalty kick during the shoot-out, but Brazil still won.[121] They played Sweden again in the semi-finals but lost a penalty shoot-out.[122] At the2018 Copa América, Marta helped Brazil defend its title.[123]
During the2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, she became the first player, male or female, to score at five FIFA World Cup tournaments when she scored a penalty against Australia in Brazil's second group game. In the next match, she scored another penalty, this time against Italy, to become the outright leading goalscorer, male or female, at the World Cup with 17 goals in total.[4] After Brazil were knocked out by hosts France in the Round of 16,[124] Marta gave an emotional interview to television cameras where she pleaded with Brazilian girls to continue the legacy of ageing legends such as herself,Formiga, andCristiane. She implored them to "value [women's football] more" and to "cry at the beginning so you can smile at the end." The interview went viral during the tournament, with videos getting tens of thousands of retweets onTwitter.[125]
Marta played forBrazil at the 2020 Summer Olympics, which were held in 2021 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. On 21 July 2021, she scored twice in a 5–0 win againstChina to become the first player to score in five straight Olympics.[126] Brazil went on to lose a penalty shoot-out to Canada in the quarter-finals.[127]
On 26 April 2024, Marta announced her retirement from international football following the2024 Summer Olympics.[128] In Brazil's final group play match againstSpain, Marta kickedOlga Carmona in the head during the first half ofstoppage time and received ared card, resulting in a two-game suspension.[129][130] She returned in the final, and Marta received her third Olympic silver medal following a 1–0 loss to the United States.[131]
Marta came out of retirement to represent Brazil in the 2025Copa América Femenina. After initially retiring from the national team following the 2024 Olympics, she returned for a pair of friendlies against Japan in May and was subsequently included in the Copa América squad. She played a crucial role in Brazil's victory in thefinal, scoring a late equalizer and contributing in the penalty shootout.[132][133]
A small, quick, yet sturdy and tenacious player,[134] who is regarded by many in the sport as the greatest female footballer of all time,[2] Marta is known for her flair, quick feet, and exceptional skill on the ball, which has earned her comparisons withRonaldinho,[135]Romário,[136] and alsoPelé, who himself dubbed her asPelé with skirts.[137] In addition to her vision and technical skills, Marta is also known for her pace whendribbling at speed.[136][138][139] Marta is capable of playing in several offensive positions: she began her career in anoffensive midfield role as a classicnumber 10,[140][141] although she was later deployed in a moreadvanced role,[142] both as asupporting forward[143] and as a mainstriker,[144] or even on thewing, a position which allows her to cut into the middle and shoot on goal with her stronger left foot.[110][136][140][145]
Although she is primarily known for her creativity, chance creation, and ability to play off of her teammates as an advancedplaymaker,[136][139][146][147] Marta is a prolific goalscorer, who is renowned for her striking ability;[148] she is also accurate frompenalties andset-pieces.[149] In addition to her footballing abilities, Marta has also stood out for her leadership.[150][151]
Marta's life and football prowess was depicted in the 2005Sveriges Television (SVT) documentaryMarta – Pelés kusin ("Marta – Pelé's cousin").[152] She also appeared in the 2013 SVT documentary seriesThe Other Sport.[153] In 2017, Swedish sports journalistAnja Gatu [sv] released a children's book titledGå på mål, Marta (Get to goal, Marta) that told the story of Marta's childhood.[154]
In 2010, Marta was named aUnited Nations (UN)Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador until 2018 when she was named aUN Women Goodwill Ambassador for women in sports.[155] She became the first UN Women Goodwill Ambassador from Latin America.[156] She spoke about equality in women's football in the 2013CNN documentaryAn Uneven Playing Field.[157] In 2019, she was appointed by theSecretary-General of the United Nations as aSustainable Development Goals advocate.[158]LATAM Airlines Brasil named Marta their "Global Leader of Diversity and Inclusion" in 2022 and featured her in television commercials.[159] Marta launched a sportswear brand named Go Equal in 2023 and donated allroyalties from product sales to football-related organizations that promote female leadership in the sport.[160]
Marta was born inDois Riachos, Alagoas, where she first learned to play football in the streets with boys. She has three siblings, José, Valdir, and Angela. Her parents are Aldário and Tereza. Her father left the family while Marta was a baby.[136][163] She moved away from her family at the age of 14 to pursue a professional football craeer.[11][164] She is fluent inPortuguese,Spanish,Swedish andEnglish.[165] She is aCatholic and states thatGod is very important to her, although she does not go to church often.[166]
In March 2017, Marta received Swedish citizenship. She retained her Brazilian citizenship and, having already beencapped by Brazil, it did not make her eligible to represent Sweden.[167][168] She gained a U.S.green card in February 2021, giving her permanent residency status and also qualifying her as a domestic player for NWSL roster purposes.[169]
In January 2021, after several years of dating, Marta announced she was engaged toOrlando Pride teammateToni Pressley.[170] The engagement was later called off.[171] Since 2022, Marta has been in a relationship with her Orlando Pride teammateCarrie Lawrence. In August 2024, they announced their engagement.[172]
^Ribeiro, Frederico (2 August 2016)."Marta na época em que defendeu o Santa Cruz de BH" [Having played for a club in Belo Horizonte, Marta is the hope of the Women's National Team].Hoje em Dia (in Brazilian Portuguese).Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved23 June 2019.
^"Marta wechselt zu Tyresö FF" [Marta transfers to Tyresö FF] (in German). womensoccer.de. 22 February 2012. Archived fromthe original on 9 April 2019. Retrieved22 February 2012.
^Hewgill, Christian (25 September 2018)."Marta an 'inspiration to women players across the globe'".BBC.Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved28 July 2025.A real leader, a match winner, an inspiration on and off the pitch – with the work that she's done to promote the game she's a real asset.
Richards, Ted (2013),Soccer and Philosophy: Beautiful Thoughts on the Beautiful Game, Open Court,ISBN0812696824
Stevens, Dakota (2011),A Look at the Women's Professional Soccer Including the Soccer Associations, Teams, Players, Awards, and More, BiblioBazaar,ISBN1241047464
Velázquez de León, Mauricio (2010),20 Soccer Superstars, The Rosen Publishing Group,ISBN1615329471
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