Marta (footballer) facts for kids
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Marta with the Orlando Pride in 2024
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| Full name | Marta Vieira da Silva | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 19 February 1986 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Dois Riachos, Alagoas, Brazil | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.62 m (5 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Orlando Pride | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | CSA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2002 | Vasco da Gama | 16 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2004 | Santa Cruz | 38 | (16) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2008 | Umeå IK | 103 | (111) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Los Angeles Sol | 19 | (10) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | → Santos (loan) | 14 | (26) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | Gold Pride | 24 | (19) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Santos | 12 | (13) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Western New York Flash | 14 | (10) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | Tyresö | 38 | (27) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2017 | Rosengård | 43 | (23) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017– | Orlando Pride | 118 | (40) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | Brazil U19 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002– | Brazil | 213 | (122) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 9 November 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 August 2024 |
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Marta Vieira da Silva (born 19 February 1986), known simply as Marta, is a Brazilian professional footballer. She plays as a forward for the National Women's Soccer League club Orlando Pride. Many people consider her the greatest female footballer of all time. She has won the FIFA World Player of the Year award six times. Five of these awards were won in a row (from 2006 to 2010), and her most recent win was in 2018.
Marta holds the record as Brazil's top goalscorer with 120 goals. She also holds the record for the most goals scored in any World Cup (men's or women's) with 17 goals. Marta was the first footballer, male or female, to score in five different World Cups. She was also the first to score in five consecutive Olympic Games. She helped the Brazilian national team win silver medals at the 2004, 2008, and 2024 Summer Olympics. She also won the Golden Ball (best player) at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship. In the 2007 Women's World Cup, she won both the Golden Ball and the Golden Boot (top scorer) after leading Brazil to the final.
At the club level, Marta won the UEFA Women's Cup with Swedish club Umeå IK in 2004. She also won seven Swedish league championships with different teams. In 2014, she was a runner-up in the UEFA Women's Champions League with Tyresö FF. She won two Women's Professional Soccer championships (2010, 2011). In 2024, she helped Orlando Pride win its first National Women's Soccer League championship.
In January 2013, Marta became an ambassador for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. She also appeared in a Swedish TV documentary series called The Other Sport in 2013. In August 2016, Marta was one of eight people to carry the Olympic Flag at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The Secretary-General of the United Nations also appointed her as an advocate for Sustainable Development Goals.
Contents
Marta's Amazing Football Journey
Starting Her Professional Career
Marta's talent was discovered by Brazilian coach Helena Pacheco when Marta was just 14 years old. She began her professional journey at Vasco da Gama in 2000. After that club closed, she moved to Santa Cruz for two seasons. Then, she joined Umeå IK in Sweden.
Playing in Sweden: Umeå IK
Marta joined Umeå IK in 2004. That year, Umeå reached the final of the UEFA Women's Cup. They won the cup by beating Frankfurt 8–0, with Marta scoring three goals. In the league, Umeå finished second, and Marta scored 22 goals.
In 2005, Marta scored 21 goals, and Umeå won the league without losing a single game. They won the league again in 2006, and Marta was the top scorer with 21 goals.
The 2007 season was also successful. Umeå won both the league and the Swedish Cup. Marta scored a hat-trick in the cup final, helping her team win 4–3. She scored 25 goals in the league that year.
In 2008, Umeå and Marta won another Swedish championship. After this, Marta decided to move to an American team.
Adventures in American Soccer
In January 2009, Marta announced she would join the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) team Los Angeles Sol. She said she wanted to play where the best players were.
Marta was the top scorer in the 2009 season with ten goals. The Sol won the regular season but lost in the WPS Championship final.
During the off-season, Marta played for Santos in Brazil on loan. She helped them win two major competitions, scoring goals in both finals.
In 2010, Marta joined FC Gold Pride. She played in all 24 games and scored 19 goals. She won the WPS MVP award and the Golden Boot for being the top scorer again. She led Gold Pride to win the WPS Championship, earning MVP honors in the final.
After Gold Pride closed, Marta returned to Santos briefly in 2010.
In 2011, Marta joined her third WPS team, Western New York Flash. She helped her team win the Regular Season Championship. She also won her third straight PUMA Golden Boot award for being the top scorer.
Back to Sweden: Tyresö and Rosengård
When the WPS league stopped playing in 2012, Marta returned to Sweden. She signed with Tyresö FF. Tyresö won the Swedish league title for the first time in 2012, giving Marta her fifth league winner's medal.
In 2014, Marta scored two goals in the 2014 UEFA Women's Champions League Final, but Tyresö lost the match. Later that year, she signed with FC Rosengård. With Rosengård, Marta won the Swedish league in 2014 and 2015. She also won the Swedish Cup in 2016 and the Swedish Supercup in 2015 and 2016.
Joining Orlando Pride
In April 2017, Marta joined Orlando Pride in the United States. In her first season, she was second in the league for both goals and assists. Her teammates voted her MVP. The Pride finished third and made their first playoff appearance.
In 2022, Marta became the team captain. She suffered an injury in March 2022 and missed the rest of that season.
On 2 October 2023, Marta became the first player to play 100 games for Orlando Pride.
In 2024, Marta helped Orlando Pride win its first National Women's Soccer League championship. They won the NWSL Shield (regular season title) and then the NWSL Championship by beating Washington Spirit 1–0 on 23 November 2024.
Marta signed a new two-year contract with Orlando in January 2025.
Marta's International Career Highlights
On 26 July 2007, Marta and the Brazilian women's team won the 2007 Pan American Games in front of a huge crowd. Brazilian fans compared her to the legendary male footballer Pelé, calling her "Pelé with skirts." Pelé himself agreed with the comparison! After this win, Marta's footprints were placed in cement at the stadium, making her the first woman to receive this honor.
Marta played in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup. Brazil won all their group games, with Marta scoring four goals. In the quarter-final, Brazil beat Australia, and Marta scored a penalty. In the semi-final, Marta scored twice as Brazil won 4–0 against the United States. Brazil lost 2–0 to Germany in the final. Marta won both the Golden Ball (best player) and the Golden Boot (top scorer with seven goals) for the tournament.
Marta also played in the 2008 Summer Olympics, where Brazil won a silver medal.
She was part of the Brazil team at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. She scored four goals and had two assists, becoming one of the top all-time Women's World Cup goalscorers with 14 goals.
In her fourth World Cup in 2015, Marta became the all-time top scorer of the women's tournament with 15 goals.
During the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, she made history again. She became the first player, male or female, to score in five different FIFA World Cup tournaments. She scored a penalty against Australia and another against Italy, making her the leading goalscorer in World Cup history with 17 goals. After Brazil was eliminated, Marta gave an emotional interview. She asked young Brazilian girls to continue the legacy of women's football and to "value it more."
On 21 July 2021, she scored twice in a 5–0 win against China. This made her the first player to score in five straight Olympic Games.
On 26 April 2024, Marta announced she would retire from international football after the 2024 Summer Olympics. She received a red card in a group match against Spain and was suspended. However, she returned for the final against the United States, where Brazil won another silver medal.
Marta later returned to play for Brazil in the Copa América Femenina. She played a key role in Brazil's victory in the final, scoring a late goal and helping in the penalty shootout.
Marta's Style of Play
Marta is known for her amazing football skills. She is a small, fast, and strong player. Many people think she is the greatest female footballer ever. She is famous for her fancy moves, quick feet, and excellent control of the ball. These skills have led to comparisons with famous male players like Ronaldinho, Romário, and Pelé. Pelé even called her Pelé with skirts!
Marta is also known for her speed when dribbling the ball. She can play in many attacking positions. She started as an attacking midfielder, like a classic number 10. Later, she played more forward, as a supporting forward or a main striker. She can also play on the wing, where she can cut inside and shoot with her strong left foot.
Even though she is known for creating chances for others, Marta also scores many goals. She is great at shooting and is accurate from penalties and free kicks. Besides her football abilities, Marta is also known for her strong leadership on the field.
Marta's Life Outside Football
Marta has three siblings: José, Valdir, and Angela. Her parents are Aldário and Tereza. Her father left the family when Marta was a baby.
In 2010, Marta became a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme. In 2018, she became a UN Women goodwill ambassador. She can speak Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, and English. Marta is a Catholic and says that God is very important to her.
In 2013, she was named one of six ambassadors for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. In 2016, she was listed as one of BBC's 100 Women.
In March 2017, Marta received Swedish citizenship. She kept her Brazilian citizenship. In February 2021, she received a U.S. green card, which means she has permanent residency in the United States.
Marta's Achievements and Awards
Umeå IK
- Damallsvenskan: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
- Svenska Cupen: 2007
- UEFA Women's Cup: 2003–04
Santos
- Copa Libertadores de Fútbol Femenino: 2009
- Copa do Brasil de Futebol Feminino: 2009
FC Gold Pride
- WPS Championship: 2010
Western New York Flash
- WPS Championship: 2011
Tyresö FF
- Damallsvenskan: 2012
FC Rosengård
- Damallsvenskan: 2014, 2015
Orlando Pride
- NWSL Championship: 2024
- NWSL Shield: 2024
Brazil National Team
- Pan American Games: 2003 (Gold), 2007 (Gold)
- Sudamericano Femenino: 2003 (Gold), 2010 (Gold), 2018 (Gold), 2025 (Gold)
- FIFA Women's World Cup runner-up: 2007 (Silver)
- Summer Olympics Silver Medal: 2004, 2008, 2024
Individual Awards
- FIFA World Player of the Year/The Best FIFA Women's Player – Winner: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2018 (6 times!)
- FIFA Women's World Cup Golden Boot: 2007 (Top Scorer)
- FIFA Women's World Cup Golden Ball: 2007 (Best Player)
- WPS Golden Boot: 2009, 2010, 2011 (Top Scorer)
- Michelle Akers Player of the Year Award: 2009, 2010 (Best Player)
Marta's Incredible Records
- FIFA Women's World Cup all-time record goalscorer (17 goals)
- First player (male or female) to score in five different FIFA World Cups.
- First player (male or female) to score in five consecutive Olympic Games.
See also
In Spanish: Marta Vieira da Silva para niños
- List of Olympic medalists in football
- List of women's footballers with 100 or more international caps
- List of top international women's football goal scorers by country
- List of women footballers with 300 or more goals
